HC Deb 30 November 1999 vol 340 cc82-3W
Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes have been made as a result of the management review of the Clyde Base. [100287]

Mr. Spellar

Following a scoping study at the Clyde Base in 1997, Ministers decided to retain work in-house through a joint Management/Trades Union proposal to establish Neptune Services Direct, which is successfully delivering hotel and related services increasingly efficiently. In addition, a rationalisation programme was set in hand to optimise the use of resources and skills in the Engineering and Facilities Support departments.

These changes are still being implemented but, in producing a more effective and efficient organisation, some 161 service and 182 MOD civilian posts have been lost. Through a policy of employing casual staff and fixed term appointees, the civilianisation of some service posts, and the fact that a number of posts had been held vacant, the changes are being achieved without redundancies.