Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has received assurances from Capita that firefighters employed by them after the privatisation of the Defence Fire and Rescue Service will remain on comparable pay structures to those used by regional fire authorities.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment Regulations) 2014 will apply to members of the Defence Fire and Rescue Service under any future contractual arrangements, including existing pay structures.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what resources were made available by his Department to the in-house team bidding to continue operating the Defence Fire and Rescue Service during the recent outsourcing process.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
As part of the Defence Fire and Rescue Project the Ministry of Defence developed an 'in-house' value for money Benchmark. This was developed by an independent team made up of Civil Service personnel and fire officers who had access to independent consultancy support; this team was separate from the Defence Fire and Rescue Project Team. This work was conducted with the same project requirement as the outsourcing bids and with access to the same information.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what contingency plans are in place to ensure continuity of Defence Fire and Rescue services in the event that Capita is no longer a viable entity.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 20 June 2018 to Question 155899 to the hon. Member for Stoke on Trent (Central) (Mr Snell).
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether Serco is appealing the contract award for the outsourcing of the Defence Fire and Rescue Service to Capita; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The contract award has been suspended until a legal challenge to the procurement is resolved.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps are being taken at each establishment covered by the Defence Fire and Rescue Service to account for any changes of provision by that service under the new contract; and what site-based risk assessments have been undertaken in connection with any such changes.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
Any proposal to change the approach to fire risk management at a site following contract award will be conducted through an Integrated Fire Risk Management Plan conducted in collaboration with the Head of Establishment. Changes will not be implemented until they have been agreed at the appropriate level.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the contract awarded to Capita for the provision of Defence Fire and Rescue Services includes ongoing maintenance and testing of fire extinguishers.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
Fire Extinguisher testing and maintenance is not within scope of the Defence Fire and Rescue Project contract, it is already done outside of it.