HC Deb 20 January 1995 vol 252 cc751-3W
Mr. Ainger

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to contractorise or privatise those depots and vessels that are administered by the Directorate of Marine Services (Naval).

Mr. Soames

We have at present no plans to contractorise or privatise any of the depots or vessels administered by the Director of Marine Services (Naval). Invitations to tender will shortly be issued to a number of companies and to an in—house team, however, inviting bids for the provision of services undertaken at present by the directorate.

Mr. Ainger

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff are employed at Her Majesty's mooring and salvage depots throughout the United Kingdom.

Mr. Soames

A total of 137 staff are employed in the depots at Pembroke dock and Fairlie.

Mr. Ainger

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff are employed by his Department's Directorate of Marine Services (Naval).

Mr. Soames

The service employs some 1,770 staff.

Mr. Ainger

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff are employed aboard vessels that are the responsibility of his Department's Directorate of Marine Services (Naval).

Mr. Soames

Some 1,200 of the directorate's staff are employed afloat.

Mr. Ainger

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those contractors who are carrying out marine service operations for his Department's Directorate of Marine Services (Naval); when they began their contract; how long the contracts were for; and which operations they cover.

Mr. Soames

The information is as follows:

Contractor Period of contract Operation
James Fisher and Son pic 3 June 1991 to 2 June 1995 Range safety
AV Seawork 1 May 1993 to 30 April 1998 Support to training exercises, including sea survival.

Mr. Ainger

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when was the last review carried out into the operation of his Department's Directorate of Marine Services (Naval); and what were the recommendations of that review.

Mr. Soames

A study into the feasibility of market testing the Directorate of Marine Services was completed in February 1994; this concluded that the marine services organisation should be market tested. The future of the organisation was also considered during "Front Line First", in common with all naval support services; this endorsed the findings of the market testing feasibility study.

Mr. Ainger

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many reviews have been carried out into the operation of his Department's Directorate of Marine Services (Naval) in the last 10 years; and what were the recommendations of those reviews.

Mr. Soames

In addition to the market testing feasibility study and "Front Line First", which were both completed during 1994, there have been two separate reviews of the totality of operations carried out by the Directorate of Marine Services (Naval). The first of these was undertaken during 1989–90 and resulted in a division of the directorate's responsibilities between the Commander—in—Chief Naval Home Command and the Chief of Fleet Support. As a result of difficulties subsequently experienced with this approach, a second review was undertaken in 1991–92, resulting in re—unification of the directorate.

Mr. Ainger

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those depots that are the responsibility of his Department's Directorate of Marine Services (Naval).

Mr. Soames

The Director of Marine Services (Naval), whose headquarters are in Bath, is responsible for

  • Her Majesty's mooring and marine salvage depot, Pembroke Dock, Dyfed;
  • The NATO mooring and support depot, Fairlie, Strathclyde;
  • Marine services bases within HM naval bases at Devonport, Portsmouth, Portland, Faslane and Rosyth;
  • Marine services bases at Greenock and Kyle of Lochalsh.

Mr. Ainger

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what operations which are the responsibility of his Department's Directorate of Marine Services (Naval) have been privatised or contractorised in the past 10 years.

Mr. Soames

The following operations, previously the responsibility of the Directorate of Marine Services (Naval), have been privatised or contractorised during the past 10 years

  • Range safety at coastal ranges around the United Kingdom (contractorised);
  • Support to sea survival and other training exercises (contractorised);
  • The Gourock to Kilgreggan ferry service (privatised)

Industrial Staff Non-Industrial Staff Total
a. established civil servants with more than 10 years service: 1 1 2
b. established civil servants with less than 10 years service: 2 3 5
c. currently unemployed: 3 3 6
d. ex-casual or period contract MOD or Civil Service staff: 25 2 27
e. currently employed outside of the MOD and Civil Service: 7 1 8

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