§ 49 Mr.Soleyasked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will review the policy of privatising security arrangements at Government Departments.
§ Mr. HayhoeNo. It remains the Government's policy to contract out services such as security guarding at Government Departments, subject, of course, to adequate safeguards, when this is cost effective and makes good management sense.
§ Mr. SoleyIs not my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Dr. McDonald) right in saying that that will not be satisfactorily maintained and that all the evidence confirms that? Is it not true that after the Brighton bombing the last thing the Government should be condidering is privatising security services for Government Departments? It is an act of madness, and they should stop it now.
§ Mr. HayhoeThere is absolutely no question of allowing security to be jeoardised by any of the arrangements. The commercial guard firms will be awarded contracts to guard Government Departments only if the Departments concerned are satisfied that they can do so to an acceptably high standard.
§ Sir Kenneth LewisHow far does my hon. Friend intend to go in this matter? Which Departments will be put out to contract to private companies? What co-operation will there be from the police? Will there be privatisation of security at Downing street, the Cabinet Office, the Treasury and the Home Office? We need a definition of how far this will go.
§ Mr. HayhoeThis is a matter for individual Departments. They must be satisfied that any such privatisation is both cost effective and makes good management sense. They must further be satisfied that the security standards are of, and are maintained at, a high level.