HL Deb 02 March 1995 vol 561 cc109-10WA
Lord Vivian

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What has been the cost incurred so far by the Army Personnel Centre Implementation Team and what are the economic advantages of co-locating the Army Personnel Centre with the Regimental Pay Offices and Manning and Record Offices in Glasgow.

Lord Henley

The costs of the Army Personnel Centre Implementation Team up to the end of 1994 were approximately £500,000. This is not significant in comparison with the savings which will be realised. The economic advantages of creating the Army Personnel Centre are that co-location of a number of offices will improve both efficiency and cost effectiveness by enabling a fundamental rationalisation and modernisation of the process to the benefit of all members of the Army and of the taxpayer. The decision to locate it in Glasgow was taken after a number of options were subjected to detailed investment appraisal; Glasgow was demonstrated to be the most cost-effective solution of all.

Lord Vivian

asked Her Majesty's Government:

On what grounds are the Army Personnel Centre at Stanmore, a government freehold property, and the Regimental Pay Offices and Manning and Record Offices at Leicester, York, Chester and Exeter, to be relocated to Glasgow; and what are their estimates of the movement costs and redundancy payments arising from moving from their existing locations.

Lord Henley

The offices responsible for the management of Army personnel are to be relocated on the grounds of improved efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Although no estimates will be made of movement costs or redundancy payments until staff preferences have been obtained, these costs will be outweighed by the savings which will accrue.

Lord Vivian

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether there is a need to move the Army Personnel Centre, Regimental Pay Offices and the Manning and Record Offices into one building in Glasgow, in view of the potential for new technology to link offices in a nationwide network.

Lord Henley

Locating the Army Personnel Centre in one building which will use new office information technology will result in significant economies of scale. The buildings at dispersed sites which are occupied at present by Army personnel offices are not suitable for the installation of new technology because of age, construction or configuration.

Lord Vivian

asked Her Majesty's Government:

When the proposed new site of the Army Personnel Centre, the Regimental Pay Offices and the Manning and Record Office at Kentigern House in Glasgow will be fully equipped with information technology; and whether the site has been purchased or leased by the Ministry of Defence.

Lord Henley

The Army Personnel Centre will be equipped from its inception with the necessary information technology systems required to perform all its functions. These systems will be continuously developed to achieve the projected organisational and economic benefits. Kentigern House is a freehold property on the Government's Common User Estate, and is managed by the Department of the Environment on behalf of occupying departments. Ownership of the building will transfer to my department on 1 April next year.

Lord Vivian

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What will be the total costs of refurbishing Kentigern House, Glasgow; and why they did not accept the offer of relocating the Army Personnel Centre, Regimental Pay Offices and the Manning and Record Office to a purpose-built office block in Exeter provided free of charge.

Lord Henley

The costs of refurbishing Kentigern House are commercially sensitive and it is not my department's practice to release such information. Two speculative building projects in Exeter were examined when alternative locations for the Army Personnel Centre were considered during 1993, but these were assessed to be unsuitable and rejected. There was no offer of a purpose-built office block free of charge.

Lord Vivian

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Who will occupy freehold property at Stanmore if the Army move out.

Lord Henley

Although no final decisions have been taken, it is planned to offer part of the Stanmore site to other government departments at present located at a nearby site. If an alternative government user cannot be found, the southern part of the site may be sold for development. Development of the northern part of the site, which lies within the Green Belt, would not be possible.