PRIVATISATION OF MINISTRY OF DEFENCE RECORDS

Early day motion 301, tabled 6 December 2004 by John McDonnell (Labour). Signed by 47 members.

That this House notes with extreme concern reports that the process of privatisation of the Ministry of Defence Records Office at Bourne Avenue, Hayes, is putting the private and confidential records of past and present British servicemen and women at risk as a result of the lack of professional care and adequate security in the handling and transfer of these invaluable documents by TNT, which was awarded the contract to store these files; considers these historical artefacts are too important to be put in jeopardy in this way; and calls upon the Government to undertake an immediate independent investigation as a matter of urgency into the current status of the records and the process of the records transfer by TNT.

Signatures by party: Labour 27, Liberal Democrat 9, Conservative 5, Labour/Co-operative 2, Scottish National Party 2, Plaid Cymru 1.