The contract has been signed more than a year after the deal was first mooted following a protracted legal battle with rival Serco over the deal. Serco launched a legal challenge against the MoD last July over the proposed deal, but has now accepted a £10 million settlement and withdrawn its challenge. The 12-year contract is understood to be one of the largest outsourcing contracts handed out by the Government over the past 18 months. The deal has also faced fierce criticism from unions, with Unite saying that the Government is "playing with fire" over the contract. Earlier this year, Capita was also scolded by the former defence secretary Gavin Williamson for failing to hit targets for its army recruitment contract.

Source: Daily Mirror July 18, 2019 20:02 UTC