Thousands waiting for security vetting in latest G4S scandal

 
Peter Dominiczak17 July 2012

Olympics security firm G4S was caught in a new fiasco today as it emerged thousands of staff still have to be vetted.

The guards are waiting for the company to complete lengthy screening procedures so they can start work at Games sites across the country.

Hundreds more troops have been put on standby and could be flown to the UK to fill in. A total of 3,500 are already taking over security roles after G4S last week admitted it could not supply the 10,000 guards it had promised.

Hundreds of police have also been drafted in to assist with security because G4S staff have been failing to turn up.

Nick Buckles, 51, the firm’s chief executive, was today preparing to face the home affairs select committee. He is expected to remain in his post until after the Games, but should he then lose his job, he would be entitled to £20 million in pay and benefits.

G4S is expected to lose £50 million on its Olympics contract and more than £400 million has been wiped off its share price.

In a letter submitted before today’s committee hearing, Paul Deighton, chief executive of Games organisers Locog, admitted officials had raised concerns about G4S in early April.

G4S does its own security screening before applicants are trained. Separate screening is then carried out by Locog and the Home Office.

Potential G4S recruits took to internet forums today to express their frustration at the firm’s vetting system. One wrote: “I still do not have my uniform or schedule with 11 days to go.”

A G4S spokesman admitted that thousands were still going through the company’s vetting process, but insisted: “It was always going to be a phased delivery programme.” Labour backbencher Barry Sheerman said: “This has to be sorted out very quickly indeed.” He claimed he flagged up the problems to ministers “months ago”.

Mayor Boris Johnson again suggested the problems with G4S had been known about “some months” ago, even though Home Secretary Theresa May said she was only informed by the company last week.

He said: “This has all been known. What happened was that there was a problem identified and then it appeared to have been sorted out and then the problem resurfaced again.”

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