§ Mr. Bob RussellTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many staff were employed at the Defence and Clothing Research Establishment at Colchester; when the decision was taken to transfer all the operations to Bicester; and how many staff it is estimated will be transferring to the new site; [120592]
(2) when the Defence and Clothing Research Establishment at Colchester was due to transfer to Bicester; what is the current anticipated date when the transfer will be completed; what is the cause of the delay; and if he will make a statement. [120593]
§ Mr. SpellarWhen DCTA was formed in November 1994, the intention from the outset was that the different elements would collocate to Caversfield. This would generate efficiencies by rationalising technical facilities at the Agency's Didcot and Colchester sites and by reducing the number of staff required to run one site as compared to three. However, it was not until July 1996 that a firm date of November 1998 was decided for the transfer of the Colchester Science & Technology Department (S&TD) element. At that time, the establishment of S&TD comprised a total of 147 staff was expected to increase by 1998 to 156. The current estimate of the number of staff from Colchester intending to transfer to the Caversfield site is 84, although all staff at Colchester still have the offer of a job at Caversfield, should they decide to move.
The original date for the transfer has been affected by a number of studies into the future of DCTA. However, none of these studies raised any point which significantly altered the original plan and the then Minister for the Armed Forces, my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, North (Mr. Henderson), confirmed the collocation on 1 April 1999.
The Collocation is now expected to be completed by February 2001, which represents a total delay of some two years and three months over the original date. The causes are as follows:
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- (a) Private Finance Initiative (PFI) Study 1997: delay incurred one year.
- (b) McKinsey Study (SDR) 1998 recommending S&TD/DERA Study into what elements (if any) should go to DERA on Value for Money grounds: delay incurred 11 months.
- (c) English Heritage—Proposed listing of Caversfield Buildings; its impact upon refurbishment proposals, necessitated some redesign: delay incurred four months.
Despite the various delays, we now fully expect that the revised date for completion will be met. DCTA is currently evaluating the various tenders that have been received for the refurbishment of the remaining buildings on the Caversfield site, and the programme is expected to be undertaken during Summer/Autumn 2000.