Armed forces recruits frozen as barracks heating fails twice a day

New Ministry of Defense figures show that at the Navy's largest training camp, HMS Collingwood in Fareham, the heating systems of Hants have dropped nearly 400 times since last February

HMS Collingwood is the Navy's largest training camp (

Image: PA)

New recruits to the armed forces freeze as the heating and hot water in their barracks fails up to twice a day.

New Ministry of Defense figures show that at the Navy's largest training camp on HMS Collingwood in Fareham, Hants' heating systems have failed nearly 400 times since last February.

In November, engineers recorded 80 failures and another 60 during last month's cold spell.

The HMS Sultan engineer training HQ near Gosport recorded 357 breakdowns while the 2,300 air force trainees at RAF Halton in Wendover, Bucks suffered 244 breakdowns.

Insiders say the buildings are old and creaky and the facilities aren't up to par. Even the Ministry of Defense admits that recruits are not being taken care of as they should be.

Shadow Secretary of Defense John Healey said: 'The Conservatives are failing in their duty to our forces who live in shameful conditions while serving our country.

"This would not be acceptable in civilian life. The standard of accommodation for serving personnel has deteriorated, but nothing is being done."

The MOD said that some staff are not getting the accommodation services they deserve (

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Labour MP Kevan Jones added: "Unsanitary housing means those starting out in their careers often have to do so without heat or hot water.

"No wonder recruitment and retention is in crisis."

A Ministry of Defense spokesperson said: "Some personnel are not receiving the level of accommodation services they deserve."

But the Ministry of Defense added that £5m had been spent on upgrading HMS Collingwood's heating and hot water.

He is currently investigating similar work to be done at other sites.

The spokesperson added: "There are over 180 buildings at HMS Collingwood and within these many buildings the heating and hot water systems consist of thousands of individual rooms."

There were also 349 breakdowns at Stonehouse Barracks, Plymouth, Devon, home of 3 Commando Brigade.

And there were 143 other problems at RAF Cosford training center in Shropshire and 102 at the world's largest British Army garrison at Catterick, North Yorks, home to 13,000 soldiers.< /p>