Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what comparative assessment he has made of the (a) pay, (b) working hours and (c) other conditions of employment for civilian guards at UK military bases on (i) Operational MGS Employment Contracts and (ii) previous contracts.

The pay, working hours and other conditions of employment under the Operational MGS Employment Contract (OMEC) have been compared against previous MOD contracts, as well as the private sector security industry. The comparative assessment has concluded that:

• OMEC terms and conditions remain comparable with legacy MGS contracts in relation to conditions of employment, for example access to the Civil Service pension scheme, annual leave and sick entitlements.
• OMEC offers an increased rate of basic pay for shift working employees per annum compared with legacy MGS
• OMEC pay rates ensure promotion remains a viable and attractive option for those wishing to further their career.

While OMEC conditions are predicated on full time employees working a 48-hour working week (gross), compared with 42 hours (gross) on legacy contracts to accommodate a change in shift duration, the rostered working patterns developed were subject to Trade Union consultation and validated against Working Time Regulations.