HC Deb 20 January 2003 vol 398 cc63-4W
Sue Doughty

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the cost of recruiting and training replacements from Dstl staff in Farnborough who are unwilling or unable to relocate to Portsdown Main. [89813]

Dr. Moonie

Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) at Farnborough are scheduled to move to Portsdown in late 2006. At this stage it is not possible to predict whether any particular member of staff will leave Dstl rather than move to the new site.

Dstl currently has a low annual turnover of staff and has an effective recruitment and training strategy. Dstl always looks to develop the talents and capabilities of existing staff and would look to existing staff to fill any vacancies at a more senior level, at the same time continuing to recruit and train staff to fill in behind them. Dstl does not therefore envisage a significant increase in such costs attributable to their relocation plans.

Dstl annually recruits in the region of 100 graduates and indicators suggest it is an employer of choice for science graduates.

Sue Doughty

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the account taken of the views of Dstl staff at the Farnborough site in arriving at the decision to relocate Farnborough staff to Porstdown Main. [89833]

Dr. Moonie

The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has been and remains keen to work with staff and trade unions to reduce the impact on staff of their relocation plans. Discussions with TUs have been open and constructive.

Dstl has completed a formal consultation with TUs together with a series of seminars for staff where the relocation plans were explained and staff feedback requested. These responses were used to inform the series of decisions needed on how best to structure the laboratory in the future. Some suggestions from staff have led to changes to plans, including decisions to move staff to different sites than originally planned.

Throughout, staff have been encouraged to express their views on Dstl relocation plans. Many have contacted the chief executive directly with questions, to which he has responded personally. CE/Dstl has also

given a series of presentations to staff, including question and answer sessions, at sites affected by these plans.