Group 4 Security are making a right old balls of this.
I have a friend, a retired Sqn Ldr, who successfully went through selection to be a "Control Room" officer during both Olympics. That was 6 months ago and he was meant to undergo 3 weeks initial training in March. He finally heard from G4S yesterday, with a contract offer which he must return within 2 weeks. (You see where this is going?) In the small print, the pay is only ONE THIRD of that agreed and no mention of accommodation, which G4S had originally agreed to provide. (Who can afford to pay lodgings in London on minimum wage?) He can't get through to them to find out WTF is going on. It is a shambles.
So, it is disingenuous of the Government to claim they didn't know G4S were months behind schedule. It has been blindingly obvious for many months, and G4S even admitted it on their website. Equally obvious is the fallback plan (even more Servicemen) would have to be implemented.