§ Mr. Nigel JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the changes made to the site option investment appraisal figures for the collocation of the Army Technical Support Agency between the first draft of the figures and the figures currently being considered; [7976]
(2) what arrangements are being made to consult the trade unions and the personnel involved regarding the future of the Army Technical Support Agency drawing office/graphics support services if the ATSA is collocated at the Chertsey site; [7975]
99W(3) what account has been taken of the accommodation available at the Malvern site in deciding the location of the Army Technical Support Agency following collocation; [7973]
(4) what considerations led to (a) the omission of security and build costs for the collocation of the Army Technical Support Agency at the Chertsey site from the site option appraisal figures and (b) the inclusion of the clean-up costs for the Chertsey site; [7960]
(5) what factors were taken into account in deciding not to consult the trade unions on the original site option investment appraisals for the collocation of the Army Technical Support Agency; [7977]
(6) what will be the annual rent payable by the Army Technical Support Agency if it is collocated on the Chertsey site; [7963]
(7) what plans are being made for the future of the Ministry of Defence's student engineering training centre if the Army Technical Support Agency is collocated at Chertsey; [7971]
(8) if he will list the financial advantages of the collocation of the Army Technical Support Agency onto a leased site rather than onto a site owned by the Ministry of Defence; [7961]
(9) what account has been taken of the comparative travel and subsistence costs in assessing the long-term costings of the collocation of the Army Technical Support Agency at Malvern or Chertsey; [7979]
(10) if it remains the policy of the Government to move civil service posts from London to the provinces; and what account will be taken of this policy in deciding whether to collocate the Army Technical Support Agency at Chertsey; [7974]
(11) who is the main leaseholder of the Chertsey site proposed for the collocation of the Army Technical Support Agency; [8004]
(12) what assessment he has made of the effect of the closure of the Army Technical Support Agency at Malvern on the economy of Malvern and the surrounding area; and what plans the Government have to rejuvenate the local economy in the event of closure; [7978]
(13) what is the estimated realisation figure from the sale of the present site in Malvern of the Army Technical Support Agency; [7972]
(14) if the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency will be able to remain on its Chertsey site if the Army Technical Support Agency is collocated elsewhere. [7962]
§ Mr. SoamesThese matters are the responsibility of the chief executive of the Army Technical Support Agency. I have asked him to reply to the hon. Member.
100WLetter from J. R. Prince to Mr. Nigel Jones, dated 5 January 1996:
COLLOCATION OF THE ARMY TECHNICAL SUPPORT AGENCY (ATSA)
You will recall that just before the Christmas break you raised a number of questions with the Hon. Nicholas Soames, MP, Minister Armed Forces on the subject of the collocation proposals in respect of the Army Technical Support Agency (ATSA). As the Chief Executive of the ATSA, I have been asked by the Minister to respond directly to you.Please note that this letter is copied to the Minister.I regret that I had been unaware of your interest in the ATSA and have not included you in the distribution of the consultative document on collocation. I attach, therefore, a copy of the consultative document and also copies of the Agency Framework Document and Corporate Plan.The answers to your questions are as follows.Question 1: What account has been taken of the accommodation available at the Malvern site in deciding the location of the ATSA following collocation?Answer 1: All of the accommodation at the Malvern site was taken into account when deciding on the location of the ATSA following collocation.Question 2: What arrangements are being made to consult the trade unions and the personnel involved regarding the future of the ATSA Drawing Office/Graphics Support Services if the ATSA is collocated at the Chertsey site?Answer 2: A consultative document specifically addressing the future of ATSA Drawing Office/Graphics Support Services will be forwarded to the Council of Civil Service Unions shortly. Drawing Office and Graphics staff across the ATSA sites are an integral part of the Agency and are included in the ATSA collocation proposals.Question 3: List the changes made to the site option investment appraisal figures for the collocation of the ATSA between the rust draft of the figures and the figures currently being declared.Answer 3: The drafting process is part of the normal management of any proposal, giving appropriate Departmental officials opportunity to contribute to the process. It is not Agency policy to make such drafts available for public consumption.Question 4: If the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency will be able to remain on its Chertsey site if the ATSA is collocated elsewhere?Answer 4: Chertsey is currently a viable site to operate, but the situation could change if a major unit vacates the site. The Chief Executive of DERA therefore takes the view that DERA would need to review its position at Chertsey should ATSA collocate elsewhere.Question 5: What is the estimated realisation figure from the sale of the present site in Malvern of the ATSA?Answer 5: I regret that land valuations are commercial in confidence.Question 6: What assessment has been made of the effect of the closure of the ATSA at Malvern on the economy of Malvern and the surrounding area; and what plans the Government has to rejuvenate the local economy in the event of closure?Answer 6: Whilst appreciating the local effect of withdrawal of the ATSA from Malvern and our other sites, it is my responsibility to consider the implications of collocation in Defence terms. For both budgetary and business reasons, the exhaustive appraisals carried out have indicated that the most appropriate site for collocation is Chertsey.Question 7: Who is the main leaseholder of the Chertsey site proposed for the collocation of the ATSA?Answer 7: The Chertsey site is wholly owned by the MOD and is vested in the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) Trading Fund.101WQuestion 8: What account has been taken of the comparative travel and subsistence costs in assessing the long-term costings of the collocation of the ATSA at Malvern or Chertsey?Answer 8: No account has been taken of the comparative travel and subsistence costs in assessing the long-term costings of the collocation of the ATSA at Malvern or Chertsey. However, by far the greatest majority of ATSAs customers are based at Andover and my judgement is that, from a travel and subsistence point of view, collocation at Malvern would be more expensive than collocation at Chertsey.Question 9: List the financial advantages of the collocation of the ATSA onto a leased site rather than onto a site owned by the Ministry of Defence.Answer 9: The Chertsey site is wholly owned by the MOD and is vested in the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) Trading Fund.Question 10: Whether it remains the policy of the Government to move Civil Service posts from London to the provinces, and what account will be taken of this policy in deciding whether to collocate the ATSA at Chertsey?Answer 10: Moves from London, or anywhere else for that matter, are only agreed if proven to be both cost effective and good business sense. The site selection for the ATSA has been based on the business needs and value for money for the MOD as a whole.Question 11: What will be the annual rent payable by the ATSA if it is collocated on the Chertsey site?Answer 11: The Chertsey site is wholly owned by the MOD. There is trading between the two Defence Agencies, but no rent is paid to organisations external to MOD.Question 12: What plans are being made for the future of the Ministry of Defence's Student Engineering Training Centre if the ATSA is collocated at Chertsey?Answer 12: The ATSA costings have made no assumption that the MOD Student Engineering Training Centre will vacate the site. In due course consideration will be given as to whether continued occupation makes both economic sense and best use of the Defence Estate, or whether there might be more appropriate locations.Question 13: What factors were taken into account in deciding not to consult the trade unions on the original investment appraisals for the collocation of the ATSA?Answer 13: The main part of the initial study concentrated principally on business and organisational aspects of the Army's Technical Branches and Authorities. It was recognised by Armed Forces Minister of the time (Jeremy Hanley) that much more detailed work would be necessary before a final decision could be taken and, in particular, more comprehensive investment appraisals were required into the rationalisation proposals. The trade unions, and other interested parties, were advised of the situation in August 1993.Question 14: What consideration led to the omission of the security and build costs for the collocation of the ATSA at the Chertsey site from the site option appraisal figures and the inclusion of the clean-up costs for the Chertsey site?Answer 14: The appraisal figures for the Chertsey site included security and build cost but excluded possible clean-up costs.I hope the information given above satisfactorily answers the questions you have raised. Should you require any further information I will be pleased to answer any additional questions you may wish to raise.