45 Commando have served in Afghanistan

Angus SNP MP Mike Weir had lodged a parliamentary question asking about the quality of accommodation available to members of 45 Commando.

He was told that while 383 of its 1,021 barrack bed-spaces were of the highest quality, 638 were in the lowest two grades.

Members of 45 Commando have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

'Completely unacceptable'

Grade one is the highest quality of accommodation. Figures for 31 December last year show there were 383 barrack bed-spaces achieving that rating.

None were given a grade two, 566 were rated grade three, and 72 were marked as grade four - the lowest rating.

Mr Weir said: "The men of 45 Commando have served with distinction in both Iraq and Afghanistan in very difficult and dangerous conditions.

"It is completely unacceptable if they are returning home to conditions which the Ministry themselves concede are substandard.

"It is simply not good enough for the Ministry of Defence to point to an ongoing programme of upgrading military accommodation, by their own admission it will take around twenty years to complete."

An MoD spokeswoman said: "A legacy of underfunding on the defence estate means that tackling all of the shortcomings will take time.

"We have started to deliver real improvements, with over �5bn being invested in new builds, refurbishment and maintainance in the coming years."