§ Mr. DoverTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about Defence Agency status for the Army's personnel, pay and pensions administration. [41642]
§ Mr. SoamesAs originally announced to the House by the then Minister of State for Defence Procurement on 2 November 1993,Official Report, column 124, the Army's pay and personnel administration functions are to be considered for defence agency status. A prior options study is therefore being undertaken to determine whether agency status would be appropriate. If agency status is agreed, then the organisations that will be considered for inclusion within the prospective agency are the Army personnel centre, which now includes administration of Army pensions as well as pay and personnel, and which will be fully formed in Glasgow by mid-1997, and a substantial part of the Adjutant General's information centre, Worthy Down, Winchester.