The other aspect of contract catering not mentioned so far, is the decline in numbers of uniformed staff. If you take chefs, for example - they are often required to deploy on ops or exercises to supplement host base staffing levels. So when the Harrier Force embark onto a carrier, RAF chefs/stewards, etc go with them. With the declining numbers of uniforms, it means that those that are left bear an increased burden of depolyments.
Result? A highly pi**ed off workforce that vote with their feet, knowing that in civi street, military chefs are snapped up with indecent haste. These guys walk into top notch jobs an the hotel & restaurant world [often at much higher salaries].
Incidentally, the same goes for civilian contractorisation across the Forces. How many civilian contractors joined in any of the recent bashes in the Middle East, Balkans, Sierra Leone, etc.
Many of us said civilian contractorisation was a disasterous mistake at the time of concept, and I hate to say it - but I'm going to anyway - WE TOLD YOU SO... [but no-one listened to anyone except the bean counters].