News Release

24th January 2006

WHITTINGTON BARRACKS - LATEST

Armed Forces Minister, Adam Ingram MP, has written to Michael Fabricant with another update concerning the future of the Whittington Barracks near Lichfield. Michael Fabricant says: "As we always suspected, the Ministry of Defence want to move the Army Training Regiment away from Lichfield. But the good news is the assurance from the Armed Forces Minister that this will happen only if another military user is found for Whittington Barracks. This would seem to quash the fears - for the time being at least -that the site would be used as an asylum centre or for more housing. It looks as if it won't be until April or May, probably later, before we know precisely what the future holds for the barracks. I will continue to monitor the situation and keep questioning ministers of defence on this. This uncertainty is bound to affect property prices in the area and has a knock on effect on local schools who educate the children of soldiers based at the barracks."

The full text of the letter written by Adam Ingram to Michael Fabricant now follows:-

As you know, the Army Training and Recruiting Agency (ATRA) has been conducting a study to evaluate the capacity requirements for Phase 1 soldier training, and that among the options considered was the closure of one of the four existing Army Training Regiments (ATR) and the transfer of its functions to one of the remaining three.

You will wish to be aware that I have recently authorised the start of Trades Union consultation on proposals that would lead to the construction of additional accommodation at Alexander Barracks Pirbright, and the transfer of Army training currently undertaken at Whittington Barracks Lichfield to Pirbright. This would enable significant savings in costs, improved value for money for the ATRA, and reductions in military manpower numbers in accordance with Departmental funding priorities.

The transfer is, however, entirely dependent on the move into Whittington Barracks of an alternative Defence user. The Defence Medical Education and Training Agency (DMETA) is interested in acquiring a site in the Midlands on which to base medical training. One of the sites currently being considered is Whittington Barracks and, if selected, the area would remain a Service training establishment and most, if not all, affected staff could be redeployed to the new training organisation at Lichfield. In addition, a number of Defence units at Lichfield that currently rely on the ATR for administrative assistance would be supported through the Headquarters of the new training organisation. DMETA is, however, continuing to examine the feasibility of moving to other sites within the Midlands area and will not be in a position to draw any conclusions about the potential use of the Lichfield site before April 2006 at the earliest, when they expect to have a decision on their Initial Gate Business Case.

I must therefore emphasise to you that, if DMETA conclude that they should not transfer to Whittington Barracks, Army training functions would continue at Lichfield and the existing staff, including those in "lodger" units should be unaffected. The proposal is being considered in advance of the DMETA decision only because its funding, through the Defence Modernisation Fund (DMF), is linked to a separate proposal arising from Reports by the Director of Capability, the HCDC, and the Adult Learning Institute (known collectively as DHALI) that requires earlier financial authority to proceed.

This second proposal is to merge current military and civilian instructor training regimes, including a very small number of staff at Lichfield, into one ATRA Staff Leadership School (ASLS), which again would be located at Pirbright. If the MOD is to meet the timescales for the introduction of instructor training improvements in line with DHALI recommendations, I need to confirm the availability of funds for a new build necessary to establish the ASLS by the end of January 2006. Treasury approval to the drawdown of DMF funding for both projects is being sought concurrently in order to place the proposals within the wider strategic context of the Department's initiatives to restructure elements of its organisation and estate. This is particularly salient in this instance since both projects, for valid business reasons, go against the Government's current policy of moving civil service and military jobs out of South-East England as part of the Lyons review. Nevertheless, the move from ATR Lichfield to Pirbright, and the opportunity this affords for DMETA to assume occupancy of the vacated site will, in itself, potentially enable a much larger exodus from the Lyons area. Hence these proposals should be viewed in the overall context of the Department's wider strategy for meeting its Lyons commitments by 2010.

Clearly the proposed transfers of tasking will be of concern to staff. There are currently 75 civilian and 172 military staff working in the ATR at Lichfield, of whom four civilians contribute variously, though not full-time, to the training of instructors and whose jobs would transfer to the ASLS. If the transfer of these tasks takes place, 112 of the military staff would move to Pirbright and the remaining 60 would be posted elsewhere. There would be 47 civilian jobs created at the new organisations in Pirbright but, until the outcome of the DMETA proposal is known, we cannot identify the precise effect on civilian staff. As I have previously stated, however, if DMETA does transfer to Lichfield then the expectation is that most, if not all, civilians currently employed there will be offered positions in the new organisations at Lichfield and Pirbright. If, on the other hand, the transfer does not take place, Army training will continue on the Lichfield site. The Trades Unions are, of course, being fully consulted on the potential outcomes of all these options and staff are being kept informed accordingly.