Nimrod compensation meeting held

The Nimrod relatives have accused the MoD of dragging their feet

Families fighting for compensation for the RAF Kinloss Nimrod explosion that killed 14 men over Afghanistan have been meeting the armed forces minister.

The talks with Bill Rammell came as it was revealed civil servants working for the Ministry of Defence have been paid £47m in bonuses this year.

The minister travelled to RAF Kinloss in Moray to meet widows and relatives.

A recent review into the 2006 crash accused the MoD of sacrificing safety to cut costs.

Families have accused defence chiefs of dragging their feet over the issue of compensation.

The SNP's defence spokesman Angus Robertson, the Moray MP, said: "These bonuses for bureaucrats are especially hard to swallow when the bereaved families of service personnel are still waiting for compensation three years after they lost their loved ones."

The 14 men killed on the Nimrod were:

Flt Lt Steven Johnson, 38, from Collingham, Nottinghamshire, Flt Lt Leigh Anthony Mitchelmore, 28, from Bournemouth, Dorset, Flt Lt Gareth Rodney Nicholas, 40, from Redruth, Cornwall, Flt Lt Allan James Squires, 39, from Clatterbridge, Merseyside and Flt Lt Steven Swarbrick, 28, from Liverpool.

Flt Sgt Gary Wayne Andrews, 48, from Tankerton, Kent, Flt Sgt Stephen Beattie, 42, from Dundee, Flt Sgt Gerard Martin Bell, 48, from Newport, Shropshire, and Flt Sgt Adrian Davies, 49, from Amersham, Buckinghamshire, Sgt Benjamin James Knight, 25, from Bridgwater, Sgt John Joseph Langton, 29,from Liverpool and Sgt Gary Paul Quilliam, 42, from Manchester.

L/Cpl Oliver Simon Dicketts, of the Parachute Regiment, from Wadhurst and Royal Marine Joseph David Windall, 22, from Hazlemere.