Private Military and Security Companies

Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate Excerpts

Tuesday 30th October 2012 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Warsi]

The noble Lord will be aware that many of the concerns in this area are historic and dependent on what happened not so much with UK private security companies but, predominantly, with US private security companies. Despite that, the UK led on the Montreux document, which laid out the obligations that we have. The UK was also one of the first to support the international code of practice, and one-third of the companies that have signed up to the code are British. We are also working with the industry to put forward standards so that the code is properly implemented and its implementation is audited. I am assured that we will be able to make an announcement in the next few weeks.

[Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate]

My Lords, will the Minister comment on how the security industry will be regulated once the Security Industry Authority has been abolished in the bonfire of quangos?

[Baroness Warsi]

The Government are discussing that with the UK auditing service. It will propose an independent auditing body or bodies which will effectively then regulate and ensure that the code is being properly implemented.