London Olympics security measures

Armed forces on Olympics standby

 

The armed forces were due to provide some 13,500 servicemen and women

The UK's armed forces are on standby to provide an additional 3,500 troops to help with security at the 2012 London Olympics, the BBC has learned.

It comes amid fears that private contractor G4S would not be able to provide enough trained staff in time.
The armed forces were already providing some 13,500 personnel - this could now reach 17,000, meaning summer leave for some troops will likely be cancelled.
G4S said it had "some issues in relation to workforce supply".
G4S is being paid £300m to guard the Games, but the BBC understands it has not been able to guarantee it can supply the 10,000 guards it has been contracted to deliver.
'No impact on security' A G4S spokeswoman said the company had accepted "that the government has decided to overlay additional resources."
She added: "This has been an unprecedented and very complex security recruitment, training and deployment exercise which has been carried out to a tight timescale.
"We have encountered some issues in relation to workforce supply and scheduling over the last couple of weeks, but are resolving these every day and remain committed to providing a security workforce for the start of the London 2012 Games."
The armed forces were already due to provide some 13,500 personnel to help at the Games, with more available as a contingency plan.
Whitehall sources are keen to stress that there is no impact on security at the Games, and that the plan was always to have a mix of civilian and military working.
BBC defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt said the move would come as an embarrassment to G4S.
She said there was anger within the military that they were being asked to step in, not least at a time that the armed forces were being downsized.
G4S said its planning with organising committee Locog and other security agencies allowed for "a variety of contingencies which have been reviewed in the build-up to the Games."
Source BBC News
Toshiba Thrive 7" Tablet - 16GB - Tablets