§ Mr. GeorgeTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many private security firms have been employed by his Department for each of the last 10 years; what has been the annual value of the contracts; and if he will estimate how many guards have been employed for each of those years.
§ Sir John CopeNo part of Her Majesty's Treasury currently employs private security firms. Private security firms have been employed by Forward, which is now in the 599W private sector, and the rating of government property department, which is now part of the Valuation Office. Details relating to Forward were provided in the answer my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary gave to the hon. Member for Heywood and Middleton (Mr. Callaghan) on 17 June 1993.
The rating of government property department employed two private security firms sequentially between 1987 and 1992. The contract for the first to 1 April 1989 was for £2,600 per annum; the second was for £4,900 per annum. They involved the provision of one guard.