Army recruitment firm could be giving marching orders

THE Army is considering cancelling the recruitment contract handed to under-fire outsourcing firm Capita, the Defence Secretary said yesterday.

Gavin Williamson said he would have “no qualms” about breaking the agreement if recruitment rates do not improve. Giving evidence to the Commons defence committee, Mr Williamson acknowledged the figures had been “atrocious” since Capita was controversially awarded the contract for Army recruitment in 2012, but said it was not all the company’s fault.

His comments came as officials told the committee that the Army – already more than 5,000 troops under-strength – was set to receive only around half the 10,000 recruits it needs this year.

Mr Williamson said: “If Capita is not the right partner to go forward on this I have no qualms in making that decision and bringing it in-house if that is required. We have no nervousness about making further changes.

“If that includes changing the contractor, if that is required, yes we will.”

Mark Francois, a Conservative former defence minister, said Capita’s performance had been a “disaster” and warned Mr Williamson that he needed to take action. He said: “The Army is gradually disappearing before your eyes and it is doing so, sir, on your watch. You have got to do something about it.”

Lt Gen Richard Nugee, the Chief of Defence People, said they were taking steps to improve performance, while at the same time considering the implications of ending the contract with Capita, which runs to 2022, early.

“We want to improve the contract to the very best we possibly can, acknowledging that it has not been good but also acknowledging it has not all been Capita’s fault,” he said. “As part of a simultaneous exercise we are looking at what are the implications of breaking the contract early.”

Lt Gen Nugee said the Army currently had 77,000 fully trained troops compared with a target of 82,500.

After officials revealed last week that in one quarter of 2018-19 the Army had managed to get just 7per cent of the non-officer recruits it needed for the year, he denied that it was now on course to get little over a quarter of the numbers it needed.

“The projections at the moment are that we will recruit greater than 50 per cent of what we need,” he said.