By Andrew Jarret

NEARLY TWO-thirds of the Royal Marines based at RM Condor at Arbroath are living in what the Ministry of Defence admits is sub-standard accommodation.

The elite commando group has been deployed to Afghanistan twice and Iraq once in recent times, losing a number of its personnel, but its Marines have been forced to return to dilapidated barracks after each six-month tour.

A total of 638 of its 1021 barracks bedspaces at RM Condor fall below acceptable standards set by the Ministry of Defence, classified at grades three and four, while only 383 meet the grade one criteria.

Angus MP Mike Weir expressed his concern at the revelation, which came in a parliamentary answer to him.

Mr Weir had asked the MOD for details of the grades of accommodation at the base and was informed that although 383 living units were in the highest grade one, 638 were in the lowest two grades, three and four.

“This is an extremely worrying statistic,” said Mr Weir. “On the face of it the majority of the accommodation falls below even the average grade, let alone the highest grade.

“The men of 45 Commando have served with distinction in both Iraq and Afghanistan in very difficult and dangerous conditions.

“It is completely unacceptable if they are returning home to conditions which the Ministry of Defence themselves concede are substandard.

“It is simply not good enough for the Ministry of Defence to point to an ongoing programme of upgrading military accommodation, because by their own admission it will take around 20 years to complete.

“Much has been said about the military covenant in recent months. If it is to mean anything it must mean that servicemen and their families are given decent accommodation.

“The Ministry of Defence must act to bring the accommodation up to standard as a matter of urgency.”

Mr Weir’s question to the Secretary of State for Defence was how many bed-spaces his department has of each classification for fitness for habitation for personnel based at RM Condor in Arbroath.

Minister Derek Twigg’s reply was, “As at 31 December, 2007, the number of single living accommodation bed-spaces at RM Condor in Arbroath, at each condition grade (grade one being the highest and grade four the lowest), is grade one—383, grade two—0, grade three—566, grade four—72.”

The number forced to put up with sub-standard accommodation is even higher than the UK armed forces average of 50%.

The MOD says it has allocated over £5 billion to upgrade accommodation or build new units in the next 10 years, but fears it could take up to 20 years to complete.