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Olympic Games 2012: Security

Answer

[holding answer 16 July 2012]: As the Secretary of State for Defence, the right hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), confirmed in his written statement of 12 July 2012, Official Report, column 43WS, he agreed with the Secretary of State for the Home Department, the right hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), and the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, the right hon. Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), to deploy a further 3,500 military personnel to support venue security operations. On 24 July 2012 it was also agreed that a further 1,200 troops were to be deployed to provide resilience and flexibility in this capacity.

These personnel are conducting a number of important roles helping to secure the world's largest sporting event. These tasks include vehicle screening, pedestrian screening and perimeter security tasks which sit alongside niche military capabilities being provided by other personnel provided to the wider Olympic security effort. The precise costs of this additional deployment are currently being scoped—the House will be informed in due course. These costs will not be drawn from the Ministry of Defence (MOD)'s budget. In due course the MOD will provide the Home Office with details of the costs for reimbursement.

I can confirm that none of the units used for this task, announced on the 12 and 24 July 2012 respectively, were removed from deployments on military operations. Personnel were drawn from the following units:

The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland)

3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment

7th Regiment Royal Horse Artillery

13 Air Assault Support Regiment

23 Royal Regiment Engineers

Composite Units to include: 13 Medical Regiment, 216 Signals Squadron and 156 Provost Company RMP

1 The Princess of Wales Royal Regiment

5th Battalion The Rifles

35 Regiment Royal Engineer

28 Engineer regiment

1 (UK) Armoured Division Signal Regiment

Queen Dragoon Guards

Queens Royal Hussars

26th Regiment Royal Artillery

1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers

4th Battalion The Rifles

Household Cavalry Regiment

1st Battalion The Rifles

30 Commando Royal Marines

42 Commando Royal Marines

45 Commando Royal Marines

Commando Logistic Regiment

24 Commando Engineer Regiment

3 Force Protection Wing RAF Regiment

Queens Colour Squadron RAF Regiment

Military personnel supporting Olympic safety and security are accommodated in a range of Defence and commercial sites. Since the announcement on 12 July 2012 additional accommodation was secured at Tobacco Dock (Wapping) to accommodate the majority of these additional personnel.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

117565; 549 c60W

Session

2012-13

Subjects

Army Security Military aid Olympic Games 2012

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk