28/11/2008

NAO -St Athan unaffordable

NAO acknowledges DTR cost problems

The Defence Training Review (DTR) continues to face an uphill struggle to reach a finalised contract after a leaked memo from the NAO confirmed that costs and delays were continuing to increase.

The DTR is designed to consolidate training for armed forces personnel into one location, much of it conducted by private trainers rather than civilian personnel. In 2007 the Metrix consortium which is leading package 1 estimated that the costs would be £11bn.

Up until now the NAO has not weighed in on the DTR since the project was in contractual negotiations and therefore not on the government’s balance sheet. But in a letter to MP Mark Pritchard who’s constituency covers one of the training bases designated for closure if the DTR comes to fruition in St Athan, Wales, the NAO admitted that Package 1 of the contract was now unaffordable.

The provisional contract was awarded to Metrix in January 2008 but by May it had already encountered severe financial problems. According to the NAO’s letter, Metrix submitted a revised proposal in September that was less dependent on raising revenue through the sales of MoD land. If the proposal is accepted, the contract could reach financial close at some point i n 2010, two years after it was first awarded to Metrix.

The training centre was scheduled to be opened by in 2013 but with delays the contract the centre's operational date may be pushed back further.

NAO officials acknowledged that the cost of the programme had now risen to £12bn. However according to a freedom of information request provided to the PCS Union, the initial cost of the programme was £10bn not £11bn, meaning that costs have already risen by £2bn in less than three years.

26/11/2008

PLANET PFI MoD off its rocker


From Private Eye no 1224 28 Nov 2008

PLANET PFI

DEFENCE

MoD off its rocker (and the WAG in bed with it)

The national audit office has sugared yet another PFI report - this time on the "allocation and management of risk" in Ministry of Defence PFI projects - with its standard introduction whitewash declaring that "deals are delivered satisfactorily, on time and on budget".

Only the small print reveals that they were only "
on time and to budget following the contract signature". Given that costs frequently go through the roof in the 45 months it takes on average to get to this stage for deals worth more than £50m, the statement is therefore meaningless.

For example, the cost of the MoDs headquarters rocketed by £99m, or more than 20% of the value. Yet the NAO finding provides the perfect endorsement to please defence PFI enthusiasts such as MoD commercial director Amyas Morse (formerly of PwC which advised on the the HQ deal) and the various firms represented on the "expert panel" consulted for the latest study, including, er, PwC, KPMG, and BAE systems.

Elsewhere the report highlights the common absurdities of PFI contracts. Under a 20 year waste water PFI deal at Tidworth Garrison, for example, "foul sewerage flooding to the indoor premises would...incur a £150 penalty." One particular hair-brained scheme was the PFI deal to effectively privatise the Armoured Vehicle Training Service under which squaddies would learn how to drive and fire Challengers and other tanks. After 6 years and £5m in costs, in 2005 the deal was pulled with no contract in sight, amid confusion
over wheezes that could only exist on planet PFI, such as the "transfer of course pass rate risk" whatever that means. £13.5 million then had to be paid to the disappointed bidders, over half of it for "intellectual property rights" which have yet to be used.

Undeterred, as the Eye has reported, the MoD now plans a £12bn PFI deal to privatise defence training across all the services. Unsurprisingly about 30% of this plan has already been pulled and the rest is way behind schedule.

Incompetence turned into fraud, meanwhile on the "defence fixed telecommunications system" PFI contract with BT. The NAO reported that "staff in call centres operated under the contract were artificially inflating call numbers to meet targets for successfully completed calls". Though the filched "service payments" of £1m have been repaid, as has the £122K cost of an MoD police investigation, no compensation or fine has been paid and BT keeps its £200m a year contract. A few junior staff have been fired and the MoD is "confident that the current good working relationships can be maintained and that it has been resolved in a professional manner by senior staff" So that's all right then.

PS trustworthy BT is meanwhile also running the national medical record "spine" on a £1bn NHS contract.

25/11/2008

How much will it cost?

NAO Response to DTR Concerns.

News Published by Cheryl under Cosford, MoD

Following a response from Tim Burr NAO Comptroller to Mark Pritchard dated 17th Nov, members are now receiving a cut and paste response from Mark Andrews Director Defence VFM. Of interest in the response, reference to the total cost of the programme being £12billion was announced in Sept to Mark Pritchard, yet John Smith used £12billion in a question in the House in July 21st. Remember it was only in Nov 07 that after question from Liam Fox they admitted it was £11billion. Also if Department told by Metrix in March that there had been significant cost increase and by May it was unaffordable, then why did the Minister on April 21 2008 tell Mark Pritchard that Package 1 would save taxpayers £400million over the life of the contract ? The affordability of DTR remains sceptical given these inconsistencies. Only in this Country can the NAO decide to investigate after the horse has bolted i.e contract signature.




20/11/2008

Phoney consutation - don't mention the ARMS DEALERS

See letter below sponsored by the Welsh Assembly Government and METRIX which asks if you are maybe aware, that they are currently conducting an extensive programme of phoney public consultation on the proposals for the redevelopment of Ministry of Defence (MOD) St Athan. They tell us the development will chiefly consist of a new Defence Technical Academy, with associated housing and facilities, and an Aerospace Business Park so you will be amazed to learn that the key subjects
at
proposed workshops will be focus on Transport and community facilities!
 
Don't mention ARMS DEALERS  like  RAYHEON or QINETIQ

or MERCENARIES or PRIVATISATION or
the £35 million spent so far or
generating third party
income from spare capacity or training
mercenaries
to you and me.
There is the slight problem of the Ely Valley Road
which the
Vale of Glamorgan Council has
twice rejected proposals for a major new road
linking junction 34 of the M4 to Sycamore Cross.
The Welsh Assembly Government seem to be the
driving force behind this, and it could be that
airport traffic is a smokescreen for improved
access to the Defence Academy at St Athan or
other developments in the south of the Vale.
 
Anyone concerned about the loss of the Vale

countryside may like to know that Vale MP
John Smith has already given assurance to
the Welsh Affairs Committee in the Commons
in support of the Metrix Bid for St Athan
"We have the total support of the local
authority ... many of the of those
planning and infrastructure considerations
have already been addressed by the body
that will be responsible for delivering them,
underwritten by the Welsh Assembly Government.
We are not going to have problems with green belt issues
and planning issues...."
(Hansard 23 May 2006, Q58)
 
Campaign against the Ely Valley Road
 
Consultation c/o QINETIQ Reaching out to the local

community!
 Letter to the public 

Dear Sir/Madam,
Please find attached a letter and invitation to a
series of workshops and interest
groups as part of the programme of public consultation
on the proposals for the redevelopment of Ministry
of Defence (MOD) St Athan.
The subjects of the workshops
and interest groups have been identified through
feedback received at the public exhibitions as
key areas of interest to the local community.
The first two
workshops will focus on Transport and Community
Facilities and the dates and
locations are as follows:

Subject: Community Facilities
When: Thursday 04 December, 18:30 - 20:30
Where: RAF St Athan Golf Club, Clive Road,
St Athan, CF62 4JD


Subject:Transport
When: Tuesday 09 December, 18:30 - 20:30
Where: The Gathering Place, Flemingston Road,
St Athan, CF62 4JH

These two workshops will enable attendees
to find out more detailed

information about the subject and allow the
St Athan project team to seek the
community’s views on specific elements
of the draft plan for the site’s
redevelopment.

Two interest groups looking at Environment
and Community Welfare will be held in
early 2009 and will provide an opportunity
for the project team to share further
details and capture attendees’ opinions
and views – details on these to be
confirmed at a later date.

Your views really do count (BUT WE HAVE ALREADY DECIDED)

and we hope that you will
take this opportunity to participate
in what should be a series of interesting and
productive events. If you would like to attend,
we ask that you let us know
by 1st December.

If you have any questions in the meantime,

please do not hesitate to
contact
us on 0845 618 0016. You can also e-mail us at

enquiries@st-athanconsultation.co.uk or write
to us at Freepost

RRKG-AZTG-JLJX, Camargue (St Athan),
Eagle
Tower
, Montpellier Drive,
Cheltenham, GL50 1TA

Yours Sincerely,
Gemma Rae
St Athan Project Phoney Public Consultation
Services

What they said then - Derek Twigg MP was Under Secretary of State for Defence before ‘affordability issues’ soaring costs and cutting the length of training courses by 25%.

What are the 'benefits' to the MOD of transferring risk to the private sector?

Derek Twigg MP, Under Secretary of State for Defence, talks to PSCA International's Matthew D'Arcy about what lies ahead in bringing a new flexible approach to learning through the Defence Training Review. “Partnership with the private sector does give us flexibility, and this is the key point here, to decrease or increase student throughput. The partner will be able to generate third party income from spare capacity and also dispose of surplus capacity. It also allows for a very important part of the role for industry to bring private sector management expertise and the ability to include significant capital investment at this stage. It is really about delivering a modern and flexible learning environment that will be fit for our service personnel of the future.”
Facilities key to defence trainingThe PPP Journal Issue 56 - Thursday, April 12, 200




From St Athan Project Phoney Public Consultation

Services

ST ATHAN – HOME OF THE DEFENCE TECHNICAL ACADEMY AND AEROSPACE PARK

Dear Sir or Madam,

As you may be aware, we are currently conducting an extensive programme of public consultation on the proposals for the redevelopment of Ministry of Defence (MOD) St Athan. The development will chiefly consist of a new Defence Technical Academy, with associated housing and facilities, and an Aerospace Business Park which, through the creation of new jobs and investment in the local and regional economy, represents an exciting opportunity for the area.

Having completed the first phase of consultation – public exhibitions held during July 2008 in St Athan, Cowbridge

and Llantwit Major – we are now pleased to announce that we will be holding a series of workshops and interest groups over the coming months. These events will provide an opportunity for us to discuss a number of topics in

more depth with members of the local community and you are warmly invited to attend one or more of them.

The subjects of the workshops and interest groups have been identified through feedback received at the public exhibitions as key areas of interest to the local community. The first two workshops will focus on Transport and Community Facilities and the dates and locations are as follows:

Subject When Where

Community Facilities Thursday 04 December RAF St Athan Golf Club, Clive Road, St Athan, CF62 4JD 18:30 – 20:30

Transport Tuesday 09 December The Gathering Place, Flemingston Road, St Athan, CF62 4JH

18:30 – 20:30

These two workshops will enable attendees to find out more detailed information about the subject and allow the St Athan project team to seek the community’s views on specific elements of the draft plan for the site’s redevelopment. Two interest groups looking at Environment and Community Welfare will be held in early 2009 and will provide an opportunity for the project team to share further details and capture attendees’ opinions and views.

Your views really do count and we hope that you will take this opportunity to participate in what should be a

series of interesting and productive events. If you would like to attend, please complete and return the enclosed form by 1st December.

If you have any questions in the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact us on 0845 618 0016. You can also e-mail us at enquiries@st-athanconsultation.co.uk or write to us at Freepost RRKG-AZTG-JLJX, Camargue (St Athan), Eagle Tower, Montpellier Drive, Cheltenham, GL50 1TA

Yours sincerely,


Mike Grimmel Ed Bampton

Project Manager St Athan Project Director

Metrix UK Welsh Assembly Government


SAIN TATHAN – CARTREF I’R ACADEMI DECHNEGOL AMDDIFFYN A’R PARC AWYROFOD

Annwyl Syr neu Fadam,

Fel y gwyddoch mai'n siŵr, rydym ar hyn o bryd yn cynnal rhaglen eang o ymgynghoriadau cyhoeddus ynglŷn â’r cynigion ar gyfer ailddatblygu’r Weinyddiaeth Amddiffyn, Sain Tathan. Bydd y datblygiad yn bennaf yn cynnwys Academi Dechnegol Amddiffyn, gyda thai a chyfleusterau cysylltiol, a Pharc Busnes Awyrofod, a fydd, drwy greu swyddi newydd a buddsoddiad yn yr economi leol a rhanbarthol, yn gyfle cyffrous iawn i’r ardal.

Wedi cwblhau cam cyntaf yr ymgynghoriad - arddangosfeydd cyhoeddus a gynhaliwyd yng Ngorffennaf 2008 yn Sain Tathan, Y Bont-faen a Llanilltud Fawr - mae’n bleser nawr gennym gyhoeddi y byddwn yn cynnal cyfres o weithdai a grwpiau buddiant yn ystod y misoedd nesaf. Bydd y digwyddiadau hyn yn darparu cyfle i ni drafod nifer o bynciau mewn mwy o fanylder gydag aelodau’r gymuned leol ac estynnir croeso cynnes i chi fynychu un neu fwy ohonynt.

Detholwyd y pynciau dan sylw ar gyfer y gweithdai a’r grwpiau buddiant fel meysydd o ddiddordeb allweddol i’r gymuned leol o ganlyniad yr adborth a dderbyniwyd adeg yr arddangosfeydd cyhoeddus. Bydd y ddau weithdy cyntaf yn canolbwyntio ar Gludiant a Chyfleusterau Cymunedol ac mae’r dyddiau a’r lleoliadau fel a ganlyn:

Pwnc Pryd Ble

Cyfleusterau Cymunedol Dydd Iau 04 Rhagfyr Clwb Golff RAF Sain Tathan, Heol Clive, Sain Tathan, CF62 4JD

18:30 – 20:30

Cludiant Dydd Mawrth 9 Rhagfyr Y Man Ymgynnull, Flemingston Road, Sain Tathan, CF62 4JH

18:30 – 20:30

Bydd y ddau weithdy yn galluogi’r mynychwyr i gael hyd i fwy o wybodaeth fanwl ynglŷn â’r pwnc a chaniatáu tîm prosiect Sain Tathan i geisio barn y gymuned ynglŷn ag elfennau penodol o’r cynllun drafft i ailddatblygu’r safle. Cynhelir dau grŵp buddiant a fydd yn ystyried yr Amgylchedd a Lles y Gymuned ar ddechrau 2009 a darperir cyfle i’r tîm prosiect rhannu unrhyw fanylion pellach a chlywed barn a sylwadau’r mynychwyr.

Mae eich barn yn cyfri o ddifri a gobeithiwn y gwnewch fanteisio ar y cyfle hwn i gymryd rhan yn yr hyn a ddylai fod yn gyfres o ddigwyddiadau diddorol a chynhyrchiol. Os hoffech fynychu, a fyddech cystal â llenwi a dychwelyd y ffurflen amgaeedig erbyn 1 Rhagfyr.

Yn y cyfamser, os oes gennych unrhyw gwestiynau, mae croeso i chi gysylltu â ni ar 0845 618 0016. Gallwch hefyd yrru e-bost atom ar enquiries@st-athanconsultation.co.uk neu ysgrifennu atom yn Freepost RRKG-AZTG-JLJX, Camargue (St Athan), Eagle Tower, Montpelier Drive, Cheltenham, GL50 1TA

Yn gywir,

Mike Grimmel Ed Bampton

Rheolwr Prosiect Cyfarwyddwr Prosiect Sain Tathan

Metrix UK Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru


ST ATHAN – HOME OF THE DEFENCE TECHNICAL ACADEMY AND AEROSPACE PARK

WORKSHOPS AND INTEREST GROUPS

I would like to attend the following workshops:


Community Facilities

Transport


I am interested in attending the following interest groups and would like to be contacted when further information is available:





Environment


Community Welfare



Text Box: My contact details are: Name 	_______________________________________________________________ Address______________________________________________________________ 	_______________________________________________________________ 	_______________________________________________________________ Phone	_______________________________________________________________ Email	_______________________________________________________________



Specific topics I would like to see discussed in more detail at the workshops and interest groups are:


Please return to:

Freepost RRKG-AZTG-JLJX, Camargue (St Athan),

Eagle Tower, Montpellier Drive, Cheltenham, GL50 1TA


SAIN TATHAN – CARTREF I’R ACADEMI DECHNEGOL AMDDIFFYN A’R PARC AWYROFOD

GWEITHDAI A GRWPIAU BUDDIANT

Hoffwn fynychu’r gweithdai canlynol:


Cyfleusterau Cymunedol

Cludiant


Mae gennyf ddiddordeb i fynychu’r grwpiau buddiant a ganlyn a hoffwn petai chi’n cysylltu â mi pan fydd gwybodaeth bellach ar gael:





Amgylchedd


Lles y Gymuned



Text Box: Dyma fy manylion cyswllt: Enw 	  ______________________________________________________________ Cyfeiriad______________________________________________________________ 	_______________________________________________________________ 	_______________________________________________________________ Rhif Ffôn_____________________________________________________________ E-bost	_______________________________________________________________



Hoffwn petai modd trafod y pynciau hyn mewn mwy o fanylder adeg y gweithdai a’r grwpiau buddiant:


Dychwelwch at:

Freepost RRKG-AZTG-JLJX, Camargue (St Athan),

Eagle Tower, Montpellier Drive, Cheltenham, GL50 1TA


19/11/2008

Adam Price back rowing on military academy?

Adam Price MP has a regular column in the weekly news magazine Golwg. That of 13 November was titled Y ddadl o blaid academi filwrolThe debate in favour of a military academy.

Much of it discusses the history of militarism in Wales, a comparison with the Scots, and the number of Welsh people in the armed forces historically and today. The part about St Athan actually only comes in the final few sentences as follows, with a translation of it below

Welcome to Adam's new-found sensitivity to Welsh opposition in principle to this major facility for the British military machine (part of Bush's USA in military adventures around the world)... What touching fantasy over changing a military academy run by major arms companies Raytheon, Qinetiq... into a Peace Academy!

Yn yr un modd, tra bod protestio yn erbyn polisiau a rhyfeloedd a dulliau ac arfau milwrol yn ddilys, ydi gwrthwynebu academi hyfforddiant (Academi Filwrol Sain Tathan ym Mro Morgannwg) fel y cyfryw yn gwneud synnwyr? Onid natur yr hyfforddiant ddylai fod ffocws ein gwrthwynebiad ni?

Wedir cwbl pan ffurfiwyd West Point gan yr Americanwr o Gymro, Thomas Jefferson, academi heddwch oedd ei weledigaeth e. Oni allwn ni ganolbwyntio ar greu, mewn cysylltiad ar datblygiad hwn, pwyslais newydd a chanolfan rhyngwladol o ragoriaeth mewn ymdrechion i gadw heddwch.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

In the same way, while it is correct to protest against military policies and means, against wars and arms, does it make sense to oppose a training academy as such (St Athan Military Training Academy in the Vale of Glamorgan)? Should it not be the nature of the training being provided that forms the focus for our opposition?

After all, when West Point was established by that Welsh American, Thomas Jefferson, his vision was of a peace academy. Cant we concentrate, in relation to this development, on creating a new emphasis on an international centre of excellence in peace keeping activities.

12/11/2008

No retreat

FROM PRIVATE EYE Latest! 14-27 Nov 2008 1223
The Ministry of Defence is increasingly desperate to save its faltering plan to privatise military training at a new defence academy at St Athan, SouthWales, despite having acknowledged that the £12bn PFI deal is unaffordable and poses rishs to the frontline (see Eye 1213)

With the credit crunch also having put costs up by £1bn, something has to give. So when defence minister Bob Ainsworth announced that the MOD was ploughing ahead, he pointed out that "considerable progress had been made in driving down costs". This will involve cutting the length of training courses by 25% through "compression, rationalisation and harmonisation". Officially that means cutting waste but those involved in defence training say there is nothing like the scope for 25 percent cuts.

So defence training will have to suffer to spare the PFI deal, even though the off-balance sheet allure of PFI - which defence ministers admitted was the reason for a PFI in the first place - has vanished as all PFIs are going back on the books.Could it be because the deal is so crucial to the companies lining up for it? Qinetiq, the defence research company privatised by the MOD but on which it remains reliant, admits in its 2008 accounts: "There is a risk that the MoD may materially change the final scope or delay or cancel the implementation of the programme, which would have a significant effect on the expected future growth of the group".

Other firms have already got their snouts in the trough. The programme has cost £35 million so far, of which £12m has gone in consultancy. The biggest earner, predictably, is PwC which has received almost £1m a year for advising the MoD. With the plan already well delayed, the MoD's commercial director, Amyas Morse, who joined from PwC in 2006, will be signing in its cheques for a while yet.

11/11/2008

Public Services NOT Private Profit


New group on facebook - and the 1st meeting of Cardiff Public Services NOT Private Profit
is set for the evening of 3rd December.

Meeting will take place at the Welsh Assembly.

Leanne Wood AM is confirmed to speak, more speakers to be announced.

A chance to make your views known and put the privatised military academy on the agenda. The topic that our politicians want to avoid most!

Organised by Marianne Owens, on behalf of Cardiff Public Services NOT Private Profit

10/11/2008

Defence Training Review Programme HOC

You're paying!! No matter what it costs!

Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin) (Con)
: How much his Department has spent on the defence training review programme to date; and if he will make a statement. [232056]

The Minister for the Armed Forces (Mr. Bob Ainsworth): Expenditure to date on the defence training review programme is £34.6 million. That includes the expenditure costs of both package 1 and package 2 of the training review programme.
Mark Pritchard: The Minister will know that the defence training review is the largest private finance initiative in British history. It was originally estimated that the cost would be £11 billion, but in the last six months it has risen to £12 billion. Will the Minister confirm whether this programme will go ahead and whether Treasury Ministers have been consulted about the escalating costs?

Mr. Ainsworth: The hon. Gentleman is right that the financial situation has led to cost growth in the programme, but we have worked with Metrix to see how to minimise the costs.

I know that this will disappoint the hon. Gentleman greatly because of his constituency interest, but I have to say that the programme is still affordable and remains more affordable than the in-house alternative, so our plans are to go ahead with the programme on the basis of package 1.

Pity he couldn't explain that!

03/11/2008

Armed patrols for St Athan?



Is this new police force with "armed patrols" is to be deployed in the Vale at Aberthaw Power Station - you'll remember the protests that stopped work there just months ago? And would St Athan camp could be covered by the same force, if the Metrix scheme comes to make it into a likely terrorist target?
Is the Civil Nuclear constabulary to be expanded
into a critical national infrastructure police force?

Anti-terror patrols secretly stepped up at power stations Daily Mail 11th August

Massive expansion of the Civil Nuclear Constabulary is being secretly planned to protect Britain’s most vulnerable terrorist targets.

The Mail on Sunday has learned that it will be transformed into the Critical National Infrastructure Police and mount armed patrols around all key installations nationwide, including power stations, phone and computer networks, oil and gas pipelines, ports and airports.

Secret negotiations also include taking over responsibility for protecting Government buildings and key economic targets.

Drax in Yorkshire may be one of the power stations guarded by the force

The Civil Nuclear Constabulary is already responsible for guarding all nuclear power stations and other nuclear installations.

The 800-strong force also protects nuclear material when it is moved around the country and investigates any attempt to steal or smuggle atomic material. Its officers are routinely armed and it has 17 regional headquarters, mainly at nuclear plants around the UK.

Richard Thompson, a former Foreign Office counter-terrorism expert who has served in Iraq, took over the force in June last year and has been carrying out strategic reviews to prepare for its expanded role.

The intention is that the force, which has a ?50million-a-year budget, will have more officers and take over policing other power stations, critical telecom buildings, gas installations, fuel dumps, airports and other key terror targets.

Richard Thompson's force will guard power stations across the UK

It is also expected to take over protecting Britain’s main sea ports, some of which have their own tiny forces, such as Dover Port Police which has 50 officers.

The Critical National Infrastructure force is expected to be announced as part of Security Minister Lord West’s review of Britain’s preparedness for terrorism.

He has been focusing on security around chemical, biological and nuclear material, which terror groups such as Al Qaeda are trying to obtain to use in attacks. Last night, Lord West acknowledged that expansion of the Civil Nuclear Constabulary’s role was ‘one of a number of options available’.

Britain already has an intelligence agency, the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure, which is overseen by MI5, looking at terror threats to key installations and businesses.

In his first annual report, released last month, Mr Thompson said: ‘The role of the constabulary is shaped by the persistent and uncompromising challenge of the terrorist threat.’

He added that the force was doing more ‘to integrate ourselves further into the national counter-terrorist architecture’.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1043161/Anti-terror-patrols-secretly-stepped-power-stations.html

Spy Blog - SpyBlog.org.uk Watching Them, Watching Us http://SpyBlog.org.uk
Is this Critical National Infrastructure thing is only the fig leaf. They have found a compliant Chief Officer who will do his bit to form a national Gendarmerie, so that the UK can then join the European Gendarmerie Force.

House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 23 Feb 2007 (pt 0008) Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the European Gendarmerie Force was established; for what reason the UK

And then they can have their new toys like the "anti-aircraft missiles and heavy machine guns, armoured fighting vehicles, attack helicopters etc" that you question earlier. And my betting is that they will "discover" that they do not need to pass primary legislation to do it, possibly not even a statutory instrument. As you say, this will be the Dept of BERR's own police force. Not to be outdone, I would also guess that the Home Office will attempt a major broadening of their direct national force - the borders police or whatever they are called these days.

Gov websites
http://www.nactso.gov.uk/http://www.cpni.gov.uk/