HAL9000 - wait and see what happens when I ask again why TUPE hasn't been applied to the military SAR people in what is, to all intents and purposes, a transfer of a service from one provider to another - exactly as catered for in TUPE legislation
The military are not exempt from TUPE despite what some believe - it is the service provision that is covered by the legislation and that has simply been moved from MoD to DfT - ie one government department to another - discuss.
Yes I know Bristow couldn't afford the ex-mil pensions.......
Did you ask Acas? They might be the best to actually give you the answer instead of a rumour forum where you will only get wild guesses?
I think it's more the free housing, private schooling, dentistry and everything else necessary to keep a vital fighting force full of steely eyed killers that might have been perceived as unnecessary to a strictly civi operation and therefore not tupeable. But that's just a guess and only my opinion. ;-)