Asked by: Lord Bellingham (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether Red Snapper has received any additional payments from his Department for travel or accommodation expenses.
Answered by Mike Penning
Yes. During the first contract period with Red Snapper for the provision of staff for the Iraq Historic Allegations Team (February 2013 - January 2016), accommodation expenses, where applicable, were claimed by Red Snapper personnel from the Ministry of Defence and paid through the company. These expenses are included within the total amount of the £2.97 million claimed by contracted personnel. Under the current contract all such claims are a matter for Red Snapper.
Asked by: Lord Bellingham (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much from the public purse has been claimed by the 127 investigators recruited by Red Snapper to date.
Answered by Mike Penning
The total amount claimed for expenses by contracted personnel recruited through Red Snapper is £2.97 million.
Asked by: Lord Bellingham (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much from the public purse has been paid by the 127 investigators recruited by Red Snapper to date.
Answered by Mike Penning
Pay and other conditions of service for Red Snapper personnel are a matter for them. The Ministry of Defence makes payments to Red Snapper based on an hourly charge rate which varies depending on the qualifications and experience required for each investigative role.
Asked by: Lord Bellingham (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many recruiters at Red Snapper are employed under the contract awarded by the Iraq Historic Allegations Team.
Answered by Mike Penning
Red Snapper are contracted to provide the Iraq Historic Allegations Team with appropriately qualified investigative personnel in accordance with the requirements set out in the contract. The number of recruiting or other support staff that Red Snapper employ to meet that requirement is a matter for them. No recruiters are employed under the terms of their contract with the Ministry of Defence.
Asked by: Lord Bellingham (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when Ministers of his Department were first made aware of the Iraq Historic Allegations team's contract with the recruitment agency Red Snapper.
Answered by Mike Penning
The Iraq Historic Allegations Team (IHAT) has always been an independent service police investigation, supported by contracted staff who provide additional manpower and expertise. This structure was agreed by Ministers prior to the set-up of the IHAT in 2010. The IHAT's contractors were recruited through an open competition for the provision of specialist staff. Red Snapper was first awarded the contract in 2013 and Ministers were aware that an open competition process took place.
Asked by: Lord Bellingham (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many meetings Ministers of his Department have had with representatives of the Iraq Historic Allegations Team since June 2015.
Answered by Mike Penning
Ministers from the Ministry of Defence have met with the Iraq Historic Allegations Team (IHAT) twice since June 2015. These were:
On 21 January 2016 the then Minister for the Armed Forces, Penny Mordaunt, visited the IHAT.
On 15 September 2016 I visited the IHAT.
Asked by: Lord Bellingham (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2016 to Question 49642, on the Iraq Historic Allegations Team, when he was first made aware of the contract; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Mike Penning
The Iraq Historic Allegations Team (IHAT) has always been an independent service police investigation, supported by contracted staff who provide additional manpower and expertise. This structure was agreed by Ministers prior to the set-up of the IHAT in 2010. IHAT's contractors were recruited through an open competition for the provision of specialist staff. Red Snapper was first awarded the contract in 2013 and Ministers were aware that an open competition process took place.
Asked by: Lord Bellingham (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the (a) names and (b) salaries of the 10 most senior officials in the Iraq Historical Allegations Team.
Answered by Mike Penning
In accordance with normal practice we only provide the names of officials at Senior Civil Service level and their military equivalents. The Iraq Historic Allegations Team’s most senior officials comprise a mix of civilian and military personnel as follows:
Director, Mr Mark Warwick - Senior Civil Service Band 1, £63,000 - £117,000
Royal Navy OF5 (Captain), £84,000 - £93,000
Royal Navy Police OF4 (Commander), £70,000 - £81,000
Royal Navy Police OF3 (Lieutenant Commander), £49,000 - £59,000
Civil Service Band B1, £59,000 - £70,000
2 x Civil Service Band C1, £37,000 – £42,000
4 x Civil Service Band C2, 30,000 - £35,000
Asked by: Lord Bellingham (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Iraq Historical Allegations Team have spent on the contract with Red Snapper Recruitment to date.
Answered by Mike Penning
As of 24 October 2016, the total amount paid to the Red Snapper Group for the contract with the Iraq Historic Allegations Team was £20.8 million including VAT.
Asked by: Lord Bellingham (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with the Iraq Historic Allegations Team on its contract with the recruitment agency Red Snapper.
Answered by Mike Penning
The Secretary of State for Defence has had no discussions with the Iraq Historic Allegations Team specific to its contract with Red Snapper. The contract was awarded following a competition, in line with the Ministry of Defence's usual procedures for such contracts.