Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many contracts his Department has held with private security companies to provide services in (a) Iraq, (b) Afghanistan and (c) other overseas locations in each year since 2008; what the cost of those contracts was in each such year in each such location; and if he will make a statement.

The Ministry of Defence has held no contracts with private security companies in Iraq, Afghanistan and other overseas locations since 2008.