§ Mr. GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence 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.
§ Mr. HanleyThe number of private security firms employed by my Department over the last 10 years and the annual value of contracts are as follows:
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Number of firms Annual value of contracts (£) 1984–85 7 350,000 1985–86 9 600,000 1986–87 11 1,100,000 1987–88 10 1,350,000
Number of firms Annual value of contracts (£) 1988–89 21 1,900,000 1989–90 17 4,841,000 1990–91 16 4,760,000 1991–92 16 4,532,000 1992–93 14 5,136,000 1993–94 15 6,535,000 The number of guards used by a private firm in meeting its contractual requirement is a matter of judgment for the firm itself. Central records are not held by my Department of the number of private guards employed.