§ Mr. LetwinTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what Government security services are provided by Protec. [20158]
1264W
§ Mr. Blunkett[holding answer 3 December 2001]Please accept my apologies for the delay in replying.
SDA Protec Ltd in the United Kingdom has carried out work across a number of Departments under arrangements approved by Government. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on individual commercial contracts.
Departments are required to ensure that any security contractor is reputable and reliable. Where a contractor needs access to sensitive official information then specific security standards must be met, and an appropriate security clearance is required for any employees requiring access to this information. Such companies are periodically inspected by the security authorities to ensure that these obligations are being fulfilled. If the hon. Member has any specific concerns I would be prepared to discuss these in confidence.