Combined Armed Forces Federation UK (CAFFUK) Official Web Site

The Official site of the COMBINED ARMED FORCES FEDERATION (UK)	HOME	ABOUT US	MEMBERSHIP	LINKS
	PARLIAMENT	CORRESPONDENCE	CAFF(UK) MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS
	PENSIONS	PAY	CAFF(UK) NEWS	GENERAL NEWS

The COMBINED ARMED FORCES FEDERATION UK exists to:

- promulgate, monitor, update, negotiate and make representations to Government Ministers regarding Armed Forces Pay Levels, Pension Rights, Allowances, Life Insurance and Legal Representation etc., in relation to conditions of service.

- make representations to Government Ministers on any other related matters of concern to existing or past members of the Armed Forces.

Ere Hawke did bang Monsieur Conflans

They gave us bread and beer,

Now Monsieur’s beat we’ve naught to eat

Since they have naught to fear !


LATEST NEWS		DATE POSTED
Extracts from The Combined Armed Forces Federation’s Researched Report	Preamble We are now in the process of preparing an application to present to the ‘Pensions Ombudsman’ based upon the Researched Report and responses to it from questions we have put to the Ministry of Defence to date. We have also put the same questions to ‘The Cabinet Office’ which is responsible for the payment of Civil Service Pensions. These were forwarded in December 2009 on the advice of the Ministry of Defence. However due to the long delays in receiving Government Department responses we have encountered (The Ministry of Defence took 6 months and then failed to address all the questions applicable to it!) we will forward the application to the Pensions Ombudsman as soon as we are able pointing out any further delays from the latter should this become necessary. John Thurso MP has also requested Mike Hancock MP and Richard Younger-Ross MP (Liberal Democrats) to arrange a possible interview for us with the ‘Defence Select Committee'. In case you don’t know Government Select Committees have the ability to gather information from any source and call people to account including Government Ministers. In the next few weeks in the run up to the coming general election I will be writing once again to the leaders of all three political parties to remind them that before they start setting out their ‘financial giveaways’ for their own supporters and agendas, that this, and any future Administration, has a Parliamentary and Statutory Duty to pay occupational Pensions and Gratuities to ex Regular Members of the Armed Forces serving prior to 1975, together with back pay and compensation as required by law. Now that this Government has been able to find the means of bailing out ‘criminally irresponsible’ bankers and also the money to pay their outrageous Pensions, they cannot at the same time claim our Pensions are ‘simply unaffordable’! (Funny – I thought criminals were no longer able to profit from their crimes??) Additionally I will be placing copies of letters on the Web-site you can download and send to your own MP’s asking them what support they intend to give to our legitimate demands? It is vitally important you do this when the time comes which will hopefully be by the end of February at the latest. Keep in mind copies of our complete Researched Report remains available to our Members at half price at £12.50 which includes postage. What follows are extracts of some of the main issues and background information. Hopefully this will make up for some lack of information to date and assure you this issue is receiving my continuous thorough attention. Our Executive Committee is to have a strategy meeting in the next couple of weeks. To view some extracts from the report to give you an idea of the contents, please click here. To view an addendum to the report please click here. To view the report cover, please click here. Compliments of the season to all our Membership and their families. DAVID ROBSON Secretary General: CAFF UK	27^th January 2010
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MP Update	I have now received confirmation from John Thurso MP that our Questions we wish to put to the Cabinet Office and Liam Byrne MP have now been forwarded. On receipt of the replies we get we will be in a position to make an Application to the Pensions Ombudsman. Extracts from our Researched Report will also be added to the Web-site shortly after a meeting with the Executive Committee later this month. DAVID ROBSON Secretary General: CAFF UK	16^th January 2010

INFORMATION REQUESTS	I am sure many Members will be interested to know how things are progressing and why there has been no update, of late. First of all, Members will be pleased to know that things have been progressing. Secondly the main driver for the work is the Secretary General who is responsible for updates on the website. Understandably, he has had to devote a great deal of time in correspondence with MPs, the MOD and the Cabinet Office. It will not be news to hear that all these people are extremely slow in replying, necessitating repeat correspondence and repeat follow-ups. In addition, there has been a lot of legal activity, challenging a group whom we believe have "trespassed" on our organisational name. This has been seen as an important challenge but, because of the sensitivities of all parties involved, information cannot be published on the website, at this stage. The Secretary General, with the support of your Executive Committee also believe that, although the case for the payment of pensions remains robust, the prevarication by MPs, Ministers and the Civil Service, is no longer acceptable and, as such, he has been preparing a direct legal challenge which the Government will have to answer in due course. Again, it would be inappropriate to give Ministers advance notice of our intentions by publishing information on the website. I trust that this gives Members some re-assurance. For some time, we have been aware of the need for updates, but one of our biggest problems has been that none of the Membership has ever responded to our request to undertake this role. The Executive Committee are aware of the problem, and will seek to advise the Membership as soon as any developments of note can be reported on this website. Meanwhile, we appreciate your continued support and express our Best Wishes for 2010. CHRIS WATKIN Chairman: CAFF UK	16^th January 2010

AGM & Pension Claim Update	click here to read and print the Agenda and Minutes of the AGM held on the 7^th of May 2009. An update re our Pension claim should be added shortly once we have received replies from MPs making enquiries on our behalf. Apologies for the delay in being able to issue an update.	updated 11^th June 2009

Secretary General's Report April 2009	To read or print the report please click here..	22^nd April 2009

Letter to Sir Peter Viggers and Addendum to Report Oct 2008	To view a copy of the letter recently sent to Sir Peter Viggers with our Researched Report as well as an Addendum to the report in PDF format please click here. To download a copy in Word format then click here.	2^nd November 2008

Status Update September 2008	Our Report has now been completed and is in the process of being printed ready for distribution to M.P.s, House of Lords, National Press and T.V. Companies. To read a summary of the where we are and how you can get your copy of the report please click here..	14^th September 2008

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT!	Currently we do not have members in the Canary Islands or Portugal. If you live there and want to support our campaign, or know anyone living there who may be able to spread the word then please contact the membership secretary.	3^rd January 2008

Suggestions, feedback, more information about this site..? then click here		Web Site by Nigel Cummings
		Webmaster E-mail
Last Site Update 7^th February 2010	© Copyright CAFF(UK) 2004-10