HC Deb 10 July 1984 vol 63 cc455-6W
Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list in the Official Report those service departments and depots where (a) privatisation of services has already taken place, indicating which services, the number and nature of jobs involved and the calculated saving and (b) those where privatisation is about to take place, giving the same information.

Mr. Lee

No privatisation has yet taken place in my Department and the only area in which privatisation is currently planned is in the royal ordnance factories, subject to enactment of the Ordnance Factories and Military Services Bill. 18,500 posts are likely to be affected in all aspects of the ROF's work, from production to administration and sales. The Department will benefit from savings in the context of the Government's overall privatisation programme, and by the promotion of competition. It is too early to give an estimate of the receipts which would accrue to the Consolidated Fund on the privatisation of the ROFs.

However, the Department has transferred work to contract. The information requested for work contracted out is as follows:

Location of service Service/function Staff savings Actual
MOD Navy, Transport *
MOD Air
Met Office Ocean weather ships 93
Various Aircraft servicing and repair *
MOD Navy Machinery maintenance *
REME static Vehicle repair *
workshops

Location of service Service/function Staff saving Actual
RAE West Freuch Range support services 150
RAE Llanbedr Range support 8
MVEE Kirkcudbright Range support services 67
Various Quality assurance 150
Various Project management functions *
Claims commission Insurance 73
MOD Navy Equipment repair *
MOD Navy Armament stores repair *
Various Accommodation cleaning 5,993
Various Catering 326
Cheadle Hulme and Reading Security guards and patrolmen 13
MOD Navy Waste disposal and external cleaning *
Mottingham Codification *
MOD HQ Press cuttings service 2
Various ADP training *
Various Training support *
OSDD Ruddington Vehicle sales 93

Contracting out is about to take place as follows.
Location or service Service/Function Staff savings Potential
RAF Quedgeley Defence accommodation stores 385
Air publications and Warehousing 66
forms store
Woolwich
London Printing 72
RMCS Shrivenham Teaching and research 357
MOD Navy Warship refitting
* Not available.
† Not known.

On the question of cost savings, I shall write to the hon. Member.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish in the Official Report the list and number of service depots or departments closed over the past two years and those planned to be closed for the next two years indicating the number and nature of civilian jobs lost or to be lost.

Mr. Lee

I shall reply shortly.