MoD has now paid out more than £100m for legal costs and compensation linked to the Iraq war
A “large proportion” of the total were brought by Public Interest Lawyers
THE MoD has paid out more than £100million on legal costs and compensation linked to the Iraq war, ministers say.
A “large proportion” of the total was attributed to allegations brought by the now-discredited Public Interest Lawyers, Defence Minister Mike Penning added.
Tory MP and former Army captain Johnny Mercer called it a “complete betrayal”.
He said: “When we should be spending money on improving the sub-standard levels of veterans’ care, we have been throwing money away.”
The figure was revealed by MP Jim Shannon, who asked the MoD how much money had been spent responding to legal challenges to soldiers over the past three years.
In response to Mr Shannon’s parliamentary question, Mr Penning said: “We estimate, however, that the Ministry of Defence has spent over £100 million on inquiries’ legal costs and compensation relating to the Iraq conflict, a large proportion of which is attributable to allegations brought by the now-discredited Public Interest Lawyers.”
PIL represented complainants in the £31million Al-Sweady inquiry into a 2004 battle in southern Iraq.
It also brought the bulk of cases investigated by the Iraq Historic Allegations Team, set up with a £57million budget.
PIL boss Phil Shiner was struck off as a solicitor last month after he was found guilty of multiple professional conduct charges.
The remaining cases will be passed to the Royal Navy Police