Letter to the Chairman from the Minister
of State for the Armed Forces on Military Provost Guard Service
Thank you for your letter of 15 June concerning
the Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS). The Commander-in-Chief
Land Command has reported to me on the Pilot Scheme under which
MPGS soldiers have replaced MOD Police (MDP) officers who were
complemented for armed guarding duties at three Defence establishments.
These establishments are Headquarters Land Command at Wilton (Wiltshire),
the Army Headquarters at Chilwell (Nottinghamshire) and the Army
Base Ordnance Depot at Donningon (Shropshire), MPGS soldiers have
also been used to guard the Defence Intelligence and Security
Centre at Chicksands (Bedfordshire) where no MDP officers were
serving previously. 118 MPGS soldiers are serving at these four
establishments.
The Commander-in-Chief's (CinC's) report includes
the views of the user units, the Chief Constable of the MDP and
the Home Department Police Forces in whose areas the trial took
place. The aim of the Pilot Scheme was to assess the effectiveness
and professionalism of the MPGS soldiers and their ability to
gain the confidence of the local police. I am pleased to say that
the CinC's report shows that it was a success; and that we can
confidently expect to recruit and retain sufficient numbers of
good quality MPGS soldiers to meet a wider requirement. As promised,
I attach 10 copies of the CinC's report for the consideration
of your Committee.
I have now given approval in principle to the
Army's MPGS Main Scheme, subject to consultations with the Defence
Police Federation and with your Committee. We plan to replace
a further 499 MDP officers with MPGS soldiers at a further 27
Army establishments in Great Britain over a five year period.
Details are given in the CinC's report. Please note that the detailed
information about the numbers of MPGS soldiers and MDP officers
at particular establishments, which is given at enclosure 1 to
the CinC's report, is marked confidential and should not be released
publicly. I have placed unclassified versions of the report, which
do not contain these details, in the Libraries of both Houses.
The Army's MPGS Main Scheme will allow us to
guard Army establishments to the same high standards, but more
cost-effectively; using police officers with their constabulary
powers only where they are necessary. As in the Pilot Scheme,
MPGS soldiers will be on Military Local Service Engagements. These
engagements will limit MPGS soldiers' service to their travel-to-work
areas, although they can be required to serve at other locations
in Great Britain for up to 30 days a year, when this is necessary,
for example for training. In every other respect, they will be
subject to the same Service regulations and discipline as Full
Engagement Regular soldiers. Indeed for the Main Scheme we expect
that most if not all will have previously served in the Army.
They will receive additional training to enable them to carry
out their duties, which will be limited to the guarding of Army
establishments and, where necessary, the patrolling of Army married
quarters estates.
As in the Pilot Scheme, our intention is that
MPGS soldiers should replace MDP officers who are complemented
for armed guarding duties. They will not replace MDP officers
who are complemented for policing roles. In addition, we plan
to have MDP Unit Beat Officers at a number of establishments where
there is a requirement. Defence establishments will benefit from
the services of the MDP Area Policing Teams (APTs); and I am pleased
to say that we shall be adding two new APTs in 2001-02 and 2002-03
to improve the coverage, taking the total number of MDP APT officers
to 300.
The trial has been conducted in consultation
with the Defence Police Federation; and we will continue to consult
them fully on the detailed implementation of the Main Scheme.
Our intention is to redeploy MDP officers whose armed guarding
duties will be taken on by MPGS soldiers to duties which will
enable them to make better use of their wider constabulary skills
and training. There will nevertheless be a reduction in the overall
size of the MDP as the Main Scheme is implemented; and we are
considering ways of managing this reduction so as to minimise
the impact on the Force and on individuals. So far as we can,
we will manage this scheme without redundancies, but, if redundancies
are necessary, we expect them to be on a voluntary basis.
Enclosure 2 to the CinC's report contains an
Investment Appraisal, an Affordability Assessment, Sensitivity
Analysis and a comparison of the Pilot Scheme's financial outturn
with the earlier Investment Appraisal. You will note that savings
of £43 million (net present value) would be projected over
the 16 year period of the Investment Appraisal, if no redundancies
were needed. On this basis, the scheme would break even in 2003-04.
The Sensitivity Analysis shows that, if 20 MDP redundancies were
required in each of the five years over which the Main Scheme
will be implemented, the projected savings would reduce to £37
million and the break even point would slip to 2005-06.
The decisions taken up to now have not altered
the earlier estimate that the MDP will stabilise between 2,500
and 3,000. I will not allow the MDP to be reduced below the size
at which it can fulfil its long-term commitments.
I have written today in similar terms to the
Defence Police Federation and Land Command have informed the Trades
Unions who represent the civilian MoD Guard Service.
Please let me know if there is any further information
that we can provide to your Committee on the Main Scheme.
23 June 1999
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