Pistols, a deactivated First World Warfare machine gun and a rifle have been amongst gadgets misplaced or stolen from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) within the final two years.
The Liberal Democrats are demanding an “urgent inquiry” after the lacking firearms got here to gentle.
Information obtained by the social gathering reveals greater than 700 computer systems, laptops, telephones, and USBs belonging to the division have been additionally misplaced or stolen over the identical interval.
The social gathering’s defence spokesperson, Helen Maguire, mentioned the federal government is “more butterfingered than Goldfinger when it comes to national security” as she referred to as for an inquiry.
The MoD mentioned it takes the safety of its gear “very seriously”, and it has “robust policies and procedures to prevent losses and thefts”.
Firearms losses and thefts ‘absolutely investigated’
The information on the lacking gear was revealed to the Lib Dems in a collection of parliamentary questions tabled by Ms Maguire.
In 2023, two deactivated Second World Warfare weapons have been misplaced, and a Glock 19 pistol was stolen.
An SA80 rifle – a sort of weapon utilized by the British Armed Forces in virtually all conflicts since its introduction within the early Nineteen Eighties – was additionally misplaced and subsequently recovered, as was a deactivated World Warfare I machine gun.
Armed forces minister Luke Pollard insisted the safety of firearms is “taken very seriously” by the MoD, and the division has “robust procedures in place to deter and prevent loss and theft”.
“All losses and thefts of firearms and ammunition are fully and rigorously investigated,” he added.
Information for 2024 was not out there.
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Military could possibly be ‘worn out in a 12 months’
A whole lot of units misplaced or stolen
In 2024, 447 units together with computer systems, laptops, telephones, and USBs have been misplaced by the MoD – up greater than 50% on the earlier 12 months’s 297, knowledge obtained by the Lib Dems reveals.
Whereas no computer systems went lacking in 2023, 25 have been misplaced or stolen in 2024 – 11 of them in July.
A complete of 20 USBs have been misplaced or stolen in 2023 – that elevated by over 500% in 2024, when 125 went lacking.
101 of the division’s telephones have been misplaced or stolen in 2023, and that additionally elevated to 159 in 2024.
And 138 laptops have been misplaced or stolen in 2024, down from 176 in 2023.
Minister for defence procurement, Maria Eagle, mentioned MoD personnel are “regularly reminded of their responsibilities to safeguard defence assets”, and that “proportionate security controls” are used on their units.
Lacking weaponry ‘ought to increase alarm bells’
However Ms Maguire mentioned in a press release: “The loss of these crucial resources is deeply concerning – especially at this time of heightened global security tensions.”
She mentioned “sensitive national security information” may “end up in the wrong hands”, and the lacking weaponry “should seriously raise alarm bells when it comes to security”.
The social gathering is asking for “an urgent inquiry into how these resources have been misplaced, and what is being done to make sure losses and thefts decrease in the new year”, she added.
An MoD spokesperson mentioned: “We take the security of defence assets extremely seriously and have robust policies and procedures to prevent losses and thefts.
“If any belongings are reported misplaced or lacking on account of suspected felony exercise, we take the mandatory steps to analyze, prosecute and get well the gadgets.”
