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12 July 2012 10:11
Up to 3,500 military personnel will have to be drafted in to perform security duties during the Olympics amid fears that private firm G4S will not be able to meet the needs, the Defence Secretary will say later.
Philip Hammond will say the military force at the Olympics will be boosted to some 17,000 troops with just two weeks to go.
It comes as security providers G4S admitted it was experiencing "some issues in relation to workforce supply and scheduling" and had accepted that the Government was turning to the military for extra help.
The move, a major embarrassment for organisers Locog, comes as Mr Hammond appears before the Commons Defence Committee to explain how the Army is to lose 17 major units – including five infantry battalions – in the biggest restructuring of the service for decades.
Some 17,000 troops will now be involved in the Olympics, with 11,000 of these involved in the security of more than 30 sporting venues and some 70 non-competition venues, including car parks and hotels. Military personnel will also be involved in specialist support roles including air security, search teams, communications and logistics, among others.
Meanwhile, a man has been charged with a series of fraud offences linked to the sale of Olympics tickets, Scotland Yard has said.
