§ Angus RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 20 October 2003,962W Official Report, columns 373–74W, on departmental staff, what function previously performed in the Deputy Chief of Defence Staff Commitments (P&P) area was transferred to the private sector; what the procedure was (a) leading up to the decision for the transfer to be undertaken and (b) from the time of the decision for the transfer to be undertaken to the handover to the private sector; what companies participated in the process; what commitments in relation to job maintenance in Scotland were (i) sought and (ii) given as part of the transfer; and if he will make a statement. [138569]
§ Mr. CaplinPersonnel, Pay and Pensions Administration (PPPA) functions within the Army Personnel Centre, Kentigern House, Glasgow were transferred to Electronic Data Systems (EDS) under a partnering arrangement with the Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency (AFPAA).
PPPA functions for the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force have been undertaken by EDS since 1998, the negotiations for which included an agreement that the same functions would subsequently be provided for the Army. As such, no other commercial companies participated in the process of the Army transfer. The contract with EDS was awarded following a competitive selection in which a number of companies took part.
Ministry of Defence personnel transferred to EDS under the terms of the Transfer of Undertaking (Protection of Employment)(TUPE) Regulations 1981, and formal consultation with the MOD Trade Unions took place. Personnel affected continue to carry out the functions transferred at Kentigern House, Glasgow.