GORDON Brown faced renewed attacks over the conditions facing British troops in Afghanistan yesterday, on the day that a damning report warned a chronic shortage of helicopters was undermining their protection.
In a grilling by MPs, the Prime Minister refused to confirm that he had knocked back requests from defence chiefs for 2,000 extra troops on the ground, while also rebuffing demands to declare how many helicopters are deployed in Afghanistan.
His t
esty exchanges with the Commons liaison select committee came as a report from MPs on the defence committee said that a shortage of helicopters was undermining the protection of troops and their mission in Afghanistan.
Mr Brown insisted that the number of helicopters had risen by 60 per cent, but refused to reveal how many there were.
It is believed that there are about 23 in Afghanistan: 10 Chinooks, five Sea Kings and eight Apaches.
Just 15 of these can carry troops, which means there is one British helicopter for 600 troops out of total troop level of 9,000.
"For the mission that we are doing at the moment, we have the troops on the ground," Mr Brown told the liaison committee. "We are equipped to do the job that we are doing at the moment." He added that MPs should not create the impression that "our troops are not properly equipped".
"We have spent the right sums of money and are prepared to do more to ensure that our troops are properly equipped," he said.
But the defence committee concluded in its report that "the size of the fleet is an issue, and (we] are convinced that the lack of helicopters is having adverse consequences for operations today".
The report added that "operational commanders find they have to use ground transport, when helicopter lift would be preferred, both for the outcome and for the protection of our forces".
Plans to revamp ageing fleets of Pumas and Sea Kings at hefty costs were criticised by the defence committee, which warned that only procurement of new helicopters could meet the operational requirements.
A shortage of helicopters has forced troops in the volatile Helmand province to make more use of road transport, which is at greater risk from improvised explosive devices.
British Armed Forces Foundation director James McCann warned that the equipment situation was endangering morale.
Shadow defence secretary Dr Liam Fox said the report showed troops were being let down as Mr Brown was not willing to fund "Tony Blair's wars".
In the Commons, Foreign Secretary David Miliband also came under pressure about the provision of helicopters.
He told MPs that Britain had access to all Nato helicopters which were pooled between the allies.
"It is normal that the UK has access to other nations' helicopters, just as they have access to our hospitals," he said.
"That is the whole point of being part of a coalition."
MOTHER OF KILLED SOLDIER IN PLEA FOR 0 BETTER EQUIPMENTTHE mother of a soldier killed in Afghanistan made an emotional plea to the government yesterday demanding that troops be given the best equipment.
Speaking at the inquest of her son, Caroline Munday said rather than "feathering their own nest", politicians should concentrate on the needs of serving soldiers.
Trooper James Munday, 21, was killed in a bomb explosion while on patrol in Helmand province in October last year. The soldier, a member of the Household Cavalry's D Squadron, was driving a Jackal vehicle to the north of Garmsir when it hit an improvised explosive device (IED).
Mrs Munday cried at the inquest in Leamington Spa as she spoke of the "hellish" conditions British soldiers are facing in Afghanistan.
"I hope our Government, rather than feathering their own nest, are giving the troops the best equipment they can because they deserve it.
"God bless all our soldiers," she said.
Coroner for Coventry and Warwickshire Sean McGovern recorded that Trooper Munday, from Coleshill, Birmingham, died from a blast wound caused by an explosion.
Two of Trooper Munday's colleagues were also injured in the blast on 15 October.
Mrs Munday said she was "so glad" they had survived, adding she would not wish any mother to have to go through what she has experienced.
