The Official site of the COMBINED ARMED FORCES FEDERATION (UK)

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.

Letter to the Forces Pension Society

MEETING WITH THE SOLICITOR AND BARRISTER
29^th November 2011

Following the decisions taken at the last AGM, your Chairman and Secretary General have undertaken considerable correspondence with a Solicitor and a Barrister, both being experienced in High Court matters.

This culminated in a meeting in their offices in Manchester on the 29th November.

The Lawyers accepted that your representatives had put forward a cogent argument with a sound moral and factual base, upon which a case could be considered for the High Court. In other words, it was not necessarily sufficient to claim a Miscarriage of Justice outside demonstrating a relevant legal breach.

Overall this meant our discussions were inconclusive

As Prime Minister Tony Blair said about reform of the House of Lords --- “If you put half a dozen Lawyers in a room together you could never get them to agree to anything !”
Our Membership can rest assured we intend to pursue these Legal matters, further in the New Year, in accordance with the decisions taken at the last AGM so please keep up your much appreciated support.

Finally a Happy Christmas and prosperous New Year to one and all in 2012!
Kind Regards
Chris Watkin -- Chairman
David Robson -- Secretary General
CAFF UK

Video Conference

Apologies for the lack of information recently due to difficulties setting up a Video Conference with Chairman Chris Watkin and Counsel. We are now hoping to have our Conference to discuss Counsels Opinion and remaining issues on Tuesday next 29^th November.
We hope to add our conclusions to the Web-site as soon as possible afterwards.
DAVID ROBSON
Secretary General: CAFF UK

CAFF UK Subscriptions

Please continue your support for CAFF UK. Click here to read a letter from the Secretary General David Robson explaining why it is so important that members continue paying subscriptions so that we can carry on our fight for justice.

Correspondence with Mike Hancock MP and Nick Clegg MP

The Secretary General's response to the Deputy Prime Ministers reply dated 22^nd August 2011 is detailed in his letter to Mike Hancock MP dated 8^th September. Both these letters and other correspondence can be selected from the drop down list below.

Correspondence with Mike Hancock MP and Nick Clegg MP

Select an Item from the drop down list and then press 'Go' Letter from Mike Hancock(16/9/11) in response to David Robsons letter of 8/9/11. Letter from David Robson to Mike Hancock (8/9/11) Letter from Mike Hancock to David Robson(26/8/11) with copy of the reply from Nick Clegg(22/8/11) Letter from Mike Hancock to David Robson with copy of letter to Nick Clegg(11/7/11) Letter from David Robson to Mike Hancock (1/7/11) Letter from Mike Hancock to CAFFUK Member (17/6/11) Letter from Mike Hancock to David Robson (14/6/11) Letter from David Robson to Mike Hancock (4/6/11) Letter from Mike Hancock with Letter from Cabinet Office to CAFFUK Member (20/5/11) Letter from Mike Hancock to David Robson (13/5/11)

Correspondence with Paul Blomfield MP

CAFF UK 2011 AGM

The 2011 CAFF UK AGM was held on the 19^th May at the Union Jack Club in London. click here to read and print the Agenda and click here to read the Secretary General's AGM report. To read the minutes of the meeting then please click here

Light at the End of the Tunnel??

Please click here to read the Secretary General's preamble to encouraging correspondence received by one of our members from Mike Hancock CBE MP. The letters from Mike Hancock can be accessed here.
(Update 11/5/11) Since the above correspondence a further letter has been received from Mike Hancock. Click here to read the letter and preamble form the Secretary General CAFFUK, David Robson.

Correspondence with Caroline Dinenage MP

February 2011 Update

Please click here to read the Secretary General's February 2011 update.

December 2010 Update

Please click here to read the Secretary General's December 2010 update.

Further Correspondence

Please click here to read a follow-up letter sent by the Secretary General CAFFUK to Caroline Dinenage MP. Two other letters are referred to in that letter, a letter to the Chief Executive, which can be viewed here and a letter to Mr Glenn Duggan which can be viewed here.
Click here to read the reply from Caroline Dinenage.

Latest Correspondence

Please click here to read the recent letter sent by the Secretary General CAFFUK to Caroline Dinenage MP. The previous letter to John Thurso referenced in the letter to Caroline Dinenage can be viewed here.

Progress Report October 2010

Please click here to read a progress report from the Secretary General CAFFUK. This report references an article which can also be viewed or downloaded here.

Message from the Secretary General..Please write to yout MP!

I am hoping to put an article in the House of Commons Magazine drawing their attention to our Legal claims to Occupational Pensions for time served in the Armed Forces in next month’s issue. This is a Magazine which keeps MPs up to speed with what Is going on in Parliament. When you do write remember to draw their attention to the fact that there are two copies of our Researched Report in the House of Commons Library.
Keep in touch with the Web-site in the meantime and please keep up your support at this critical time.
Please click here to download my suggested letter, fill in the name of your MP above the address, add the date, address it to the MP then add your signature at the end. Don’t forget to add your own Name and Address in the top right hand corner! If you do not know the name of your MP or you think it might have changed since the recent General Election you can find out by ringing the House of Commons and asking them – 02072-193000.
(Upadate November 2010) For additional input to your letter or meeting with your MP please click here I hope this helps.
David Robson.
Sec. Gen. CAFF UK.
p.s. please forward copies of any particularly interesting or positive replies to the Secretary General.

Membership Correspondence June 2010

To read a copy of the recent letter sent out to members regarding AGM and membership items click here.

2010 AGM Minutes

To read the minutes of the 2010 A.G.M. click here.

Secretary General's Report Apr 2010

To read the Secretary General's report prior to the 2010 A.G.M. click here.

Recent Correspondence

To read a letter sent from the Secretary General CAFF(UK) to John Thurso M.P. click here.
Click on the icons to read previous Letters sent to John Thurso from the Ministry of Defence and Cabinet Office .

Notice of A.G.M.

The 7^th A.G.M. of CAFF(UK) will take place on the 13^th of May at the Union Jack Club in London. To view and print the full Agenda click here.

Membership

If you are already a member of CAFF(UK) then there is no need to re-register as your membership will automatically be renewed annually.

Extracts from The Combined Armed Forces Federation’s Researched Report

Preamble

Compliments of the season to all our Membership and their families.
DAVID ROBSON
Secretary General: CAFF UK

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

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

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.

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.