§ Mr. GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the names of all the private security firms currently employed by his Department, the number of employees for each firm on the contract, the total value of each contract and the total value of all contracts for each financial year since 1984–85.
§ Mr. CopeThe Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments currently employ a total of 10 security firms on guarding contracts. It would not be in the interests of security to release the names of the firms—details of each contract are subject to commercial confidence. The current total value of contracts, which are usually for a two-year period, is £3,128,785. The firms concerned at present employ about 210 security guards. The total value of all contracts for each financial year since 1984–85 is as follows:756W
Financial year Total value of contracts £ 1984–85 1,202,889 1985–86 1,093,350 1986–87 1,086,330 1987–88 981,906 1988–89 1,007.958 11989–90 1,142,227 1Estimate. These figures are not directly comparable to those given in earlier answers since they do not include the value of contracts for non-departmental public bodies.
§ Mr. GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will now answer the question from the hon. Member for Walsall, South, No. 155, for answer on 13 February on the private security industry.