Ben Parkinson praised as £3m Veterans Mobility Fund announced

Ben Parkinson is widely regarded as the most severely injured British soldier to survive the Afghanistan conflict.

A paratrooper who lost both his legs in a blast in Afghanistan has been praised for helping secure funding for other injured veterans.

Ben Parkinson, from Doncaster, suffered more than 40 injuries when an Army Land Rover he was in hit a mine in 2006.

Wednesday's Budget included £3m for the Veterans' Mobility Fund, to help cover the cost of mobility equipment.

Veterans' minister Johnny Mercer paid tribute to campaigning by Mr Parkinson and his family on the subject.

Mr Parkinson, 38, is regarded as the most severely injured British soldier to survive the conflict in Afghanistan.

'Hero Ben'

In the Commons on Thursday, MPs heard the veteran and his family had been concerned about how they would pay for Mr Parkinson's wheelchair.

Former Army officer Dan Jarvis, Labour MP for Barnsley Central, told the House of Commons: "The veterans minister and I recently met with the hero that is Ben Parkinson.

"I was certainly concerned to hear there wasn't provision previously within the system to cover the cost of Ben's wheelchair.

"I wonder if the minister could say whether there was provision made in yesterday's Budget to cover those costs and, if there were, would he take the opportunity to pay tribute to Ben and his family for their persistence in making the case?"

Veterans' minister Johnny Mercer paid tribute to Ben Parkinson's campaigning

Mr Mercer, also a former Army officer, who served on the frontline in Afghanistan, replied: "None of these individuals with these catastrophic injuries should be contributing anything to their specialist mobility equipment.

"That's why yesterday we managed to reinstate the Veterans Mobility Fund and I pay tribute to Ben for his campaigning, and his family, on that.

"It's an important piece of work and we'll make sure we see it through."

Mr Parkinson, who left the Army in 2019, released a book in 2021 about his life and lengthy and ongoing battles after the blast left him with both legs amputated, a twisted spine and brain damage.

He was honoured with an MBE in 2013 for his work with veterans and other charities.