Fears as intelligence officers quit

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

Around 20% of officers have quit the Intelligence Corps in the past three years, with many leaving for lucrative private security jobs, the Daily Telegraph revealed.

A defence source told the newspaper the shortages had raised serious concerns among senior officers over people doing jobs for which they were not properly trained or experienced.

"To sustain what the Intelligence Corps is doing, losing 20% of officers is pretty hard," the source told the newspaper.

"To some extent they can no longer fill posts that they wish to because they just don't have enough people; they have to give the jobs to non-specialists,"

The MoD was also reported to be considering offering a £50,000 bonus for three further years' service in a bid to stem further losses.

A spokesman could not confirm whether such an incentive was being proposed, but said: "We face challenges in recruiting and retention in specific areas in all the services, not just the Army and not just the Intelligence Corps. We are trying hard to resolve them.

"There are circumstances where some officers may substitute for senior officers. This is done on a case by case basis noting the requirements of the post capability of the individuals concerned."

Shadow defence secretary Liam Fox said there was an indication that the Intelligence Corps was "so over-stretched that it may mean operations are compromised".

He said: "They are being sent on a very high number of deployments but without intelligence we are working in the dark."