Trade union representatives and north Oxfordshire MP Tony Baldry have met Ministry of Defence officials to discuss job fears.

Mr Baldry was invited to the meeting after unions said they were worried about a new Government review, which they thought could lead to the Bicester Defence, Storage and Distribution Centre being privatised or closed down.

Mr Baldry was briefed by Arthur Fisher, who is in charge of the MoD study, called the Future Defence Supply Chain Initiative.

Mr Baldry feared Britain's defence could eventually come under the control of a foreign company.

In a letter to Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon, he applauded the depot's work during the recent Iraq conflict.

The MP said: "Under previous dispensations many of those involved would have deserved to receive the Imperial Service Medal for such an outstanding contribution.

"Instead, many of those working at the depot at Bicester are apprehensive that all they are going to receive in due course from the Government is their P45."

Les Sibley, a representative of the Transport and General Workers' Union and also a local councillor, said after the meeting: "Our aim is first to flush out precisely what's happening before shaping a strategy."

The MoD said it regularly carried out reviews and insisted no decisions had been made about jobs. Its review is expected to take until early 2005.

Mr Baldry, who also asked for assurances that in-house bids for the depot would be given every assistance, said he now intended to raise the matter in Parliament.