Robison calls for Royal Regiment of Scotland to support Games security
15 May 2014 03:57 PM
Prime Minister urged to confirm Scottish regiment
will be given appropriate role.
Cabinet Secretary
for Commonwealth Games & Sport, Shona Robison, has called on the Prime
Minister to confirm during his visit to Scotland tomorrow that the Royal
Regiment of Scotland will be used to support safety and security at the
forthcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
This follows
correspondence in January of this year between Ms Robison and the Home
Secretary, Theresa May, in which Ms Robison urged the UK Government to use the
Royal Regiment of Scotland to support safety and security around the
Games.
Ms Robison
said:
“The
Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council and the Games Organising Committee
are contributing to the entire public costs of hosting the Commonwealth Games.
This includes the £90 million dedicated to the Games security budget that
was increased following lessons learned from London Olympics in 2012.
“Reflecting
on lessons learned from London 2012, the Scottish Government decided to create
a framework from which a range of security and stewarding companies would be
awarded contracts according to their capacity and capability. We agreed that a
mixed workforce consisting of Police Scotland, military and private industry
would be the most appropriate response.
“We
therefore welcomed the UK Government’s confirmation in January of this
year that 2,000 military personnel will be made available to assist security at
the Games venues. They will join the already substantial workforce of police
officers, stewards and security guards already contracted to ensure a safe and
secure Games for the many thousands of spectators around the world expected to
enjoy the games.
“I again
urge the Prime Minister to back my call for the Royal Regiment of Scotland to
be used to support the security at the Games. It would be a fitting role for
the Scottish regiment to assist in providing a safe and secure Games of which
the people of Glasgow and Scotland will all be proud.”
Notes To
Editors
Attached is the
correspondence between the Cabinet Secretary for the Commonwealth Games &
Sport and the Home Secretary in January of this year.
More than 10,000
military personnel were used to support security at the London Olympics in
2012.