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Unions have attacked plans to outsource military fire and rescue services to Capita.

Prospect warned that the decision to press ahead with privatisation was wrong while lessons were still being learnt from the collapse of engineering giant Carillion.

Deputy general secretary Garry Graham said: "We are deeply disappointed that the Government has pressed ahead with the privatisation of this vital service without providing any reassurance about how it will impact on quality, affect staff or avoid the same troubles as faced by Carillion.

"There is a very real risk that the MoD will end up paying over the odds for a much worse service than they would have had if they had just invested properly in the in-house service and the dedicated staff who work there.

"The constant drive to outsource services is not working for the MoD, the taxpayer or the workforce, and it is time for ministers to step back and make the right decision to protect this service for the future."

Unite national officer Jim Kennedy said: "This decision is deeply alarming and entirely wrong-headed.

"It demonstrates that the Government has learnt exactly nothing from the collapse of Carillion.

"There is absolutely no business case for these essential and highly dedicated workers to have their jobs outsourced and privatised.

"The Government remains addicted to the failed model of privatising and outsourcing.

"Serious questions need to be asked about why privatisation is OK for British bases but not for American bases.

"Are British bases less important or does the Government believe that they need a lower level of security?"

An MOD Spokesperson said: “This contract will deliver a more modern and agile defence fire and rescue service, by investing and improving in the whole range of firefighting infrastructure, equipment and training to improve fire fighter safety. “Robust assessments have been made to ensure the financial health of suppliers ahead of any contract placement. We will monitor the performance of the supplier throughout the contract’s duration.”