There has been gross distortion in the national media over the issue of overseas war grave gardeners' pay. The gardeners are employed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, which is funded by the Ministry of Defence.

The gardeners carry out an important and excellent job and are properly rewarded for it. It is completely untrue the MoD has cut funding to the Commission and, if it had, I would have been one of the first to

complain.

Rates of pay are regularly reviewed against exchange rates and local costs of living but in any one year, no individual's income is ever reduced by more than £1,500.

-Des Turner MP, Preston Road, Brighton