nightstalker
Full Registered User
See attached file or the source is:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/private-security-contractors
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/private-security-contractors
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MOD Response to Freedom of Information Request on Private Security Contractors
- Thread starter nightstalker
- Start date
Clear as mud, and to be honest, much the response I'd expect.
Some data needs to stay confidential for any number of OpSec reasons.
Our various news organisations, + Wikileaks, are great at ferreting out stuff that the 'Powers that Be', would rather not have out there. Having worked 'both sides of the fence', I can appreciate the reasons from both sides.
Yes, it is important for friends / family of those lost or casualties to know the circumstances. Whether that should then become public knowledge, and how interested, and for what reason the general public should be informed, is debatable.
Informing those directly concerned is one thing. Making it openly available to anyone with an axe to grind, or to the very opposition the guys were there to negate is a different story.
V
Some data needs to stay confidential for any number of OpSec reasons.
Our various news organisations, + Wikileaks, are great at ferreting out stuff that the 'Powers that Be', would rather not have out there. Having worked 'both sides of the fence', I can appreciate the reasons from both sides.
Yes, it is important for friends / family of those lost or casualties to know the circumstances. Whether that should then become public knowledge, and how interested, and for what reason the general public should be informed, is debatable.
Informing those directly concerned is one thing. Making it openly available to anyone with an axe to grind, or to the very opposition the guys were there to negate is a different story.
V
I don't see any problem with the reply. The MOD responded with the info they had and pointed out that other departments might have more but they cannot answer for them.
Yup, clear as mud, and would you care to bet any other dep't be more forthcoming ?
V
Interesting figures for the contracts.... 2 months in Basra Palace at over £1 million and 3 months in Kabul at just £21K...!
Its a contractor. Would you expect any less ? There's guys sitting in a nice cosy office someplace pulling 9-5 that's got a huge mortgage and golf club fees to pay!
...and there's shareholders want a cut before the poor bastid that's getting showered in blood and bullets gets a cut. There's blokes wayyyy further up the foodchain before you get yours.
It's not a bloody Co-Op !
V
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To me it is clear and if the question is asked of another dept then it should divulge the info requested unless it is restricted. Some of the questions asked above cannot be answered as they involve the future and unless the info is recorded it is daft to expect it to be available now.Yup, clear as mud, and would you care to bet any other dep't be more forthcoming ?
V
I have recently done a Subject Access Request ( a personal version of FOI) from a plod force and will post details when all done and dusted. The result knocked me down.
Sounds about right to me. Anything to do with deaths and injuries would fall to the company and therefore wouldn't come under an FOI request...probably another benefit of using private companies.
I'd be interested to hear more about the Subject Access Request. How much did they charge you?
I'd be interested to hear more about the Subject Access Request. How much did they charge you?
£10, it is a fixed charge everywhere I think. You only get info held on you by that particular force.How much did they charge you?
I will post it up soon when the complaint is finished.
KingLeonidas
Longterm Registered User
it's a tight-lipped response, but did you expect anything less? and indeed, why should MOD give anything more. they could have easily responded with one sentence ... e.g. "we employed 10 PSC's with a total spending of 1 million pounds over the time period". and then they are done with it.
the truth is, Blackwater or no Blackwater, that PSC's are a very conveninet way for both the UK and US government to get some things done. it's not really in the interest of either government to mess up this relationship. quite likely, with the way the world is heading, they will need more PSC's in the not-too-distant future, and will have to farm out some high-risk assignments. it's unavoidable. what the MOD needs (and the US too) is some well-run PSC's who are very professional and don't cut corners on standards. they just need to pay proper fees for these services.
KL
the truth is, Blackwater or no Blackwater, that PSC's are a very conveninet way for both the UK and US government to get some things done. it's not really in the interest of either government to mess up this relationship. quite likely, with the way the world is heading, they will need more PSC's in the not-too-distant future, and will have to farm out some high-risk assignments. it's unavoidable. what the MOD needs (and the US too) is some well-run PSC's who are very professional and don't cut corners on standards. they just need to pay proper fees for these services.
KL