§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff are likely to be made redundant if contract cleaners are to be used at Quality Assurance Directorate (Ordnance) premises in Woolwich and Kidbrooke ; and what is the estimated cost of redundancy and related payments.
§ Mr. HayhoeWe do not yet know the number of staff who may finally be made redundant if we change to contract cleaning at Quality Assurance Directorate58W (Ordnance) premises at Woolwich and Kidbrooke.
Accordingly we cannot yet calculate the amount of redundancy compensation and related payments which will become due. We have yet to consult staff interests—both locally and at departmental level—about the proposal to change to contract, as the comparison of relative costs has only recently been completed.
§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff are currently employed in cleaning Quality Assurance Directorate (Ordnance) premises at Woolwich and Kidbrooke.
§ Mr. HayhoeThe number of staff employed in cleaning Quality Assurance Directorate (Ordnance) Premises at Woolwich and Kidbrooke is 73. All but seven of these are part-time employees.
§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the proposed contract cleaning of Quality Assurance Directorate (Ordnance) premises at Woolwich and Kidbrooke will be identical in standard, coverage and frequency as that now carried out by directly employed staff.
§ Mr. HayhoeYes.
§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many estimates have been received from contract cleaners for the cleaning of Quality Assurance Directorate (Ordnance) premises at Woolwich and Kidbrooke ; what is the current annual cost of the highest and lowest estimate submitted ; and for how long a period these prices are firm.
§ Mr. HayhoeTenders were obtained from five firms. The contractors have not imposed deadlines on their estimates.
Information on contract costs is subject to the normal conventions of commercial confidentiality, and I cannot therefore disclose the highest and lowest tender costs. But the letting of a contract would show an appreciable saving on the cost of a directly employed service.
§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current estimated annual cost of staff directly employed for cleaning Quality Assurance Directorate (Ordnance) premises at Woolwich and Kidbrooke ; and what increases 59W are expected over (a) the next three months and (b) the next year.
§ Mr. HayhoeThe current estimated annual cost of directly employed cleaning staff at Quality Assurance Directorate (Ordnance) premises is about £250,000. Wage negotiations are taking place, but other increases are expected over the next three months. Within the next year there could be some change in cleaning costs as a result of staff now housed at Kidbrooke moving to other accommodation in the Woolwich area. Any such cost change would be unlikely to be significant.