§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her estimate is of the(a) annual cost and (b) total value of the empty properties owned by (i) her Department, (ii) her agencies and (iii) other public bodies for which she has had responsibility in each of the last four years. [30079]
§ Ms HewittThe Department of Trade and Industry and its agencies have not had any empty freehold properties in any of the last four years. However, the estimated annual costs and total value of empty freehold properties owned by DTI non-departmental public bodies and public corporations for the same period are shown in the tables:
Status/year Empty freehold properties Running costs (£) Estimated market value (£) NDPBs1 1998 59 54,461.78 2,583,366.00 1999 29 25,106.50 1,290,675.00 2000 24 50,874.52 2,338,000.00 2001 20 45,655.83 1,210,000.00 Other public bodies Consignia plc2 — — — BNFL plc 1998 0 0 0 1999 2 35,000.00 1,100,000.00 2000 3 55,000.00 2,100,000.00 2001 3 55,000.00 2,100,000.00 1 Regional development agencies (RDAs) are included under NDPBs. RDAs own significant property estates as part of its role as a regeneration agency. The land will be released and sold over a period of many years. RDAs do not own any other non-operational land and buildings. 2 Consignia do not maintain central records of the number and costs of empty properties for the last four years. To provide the information requested would be at disproportionate cost. However, as of September 2000 there was a total estate of 2,775 properties of which 3.38 per cent. was vacant by number, and 1.5 per cent. vacant by value. In December 2001 there was a total estate of 2,741 of which 2.44 per cent. was vacant by number, and 1.62 per cent. vacant by value.