HC Deb 07 November 1988 vol 140 cc10-1
10. Mr. Tim Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what will be the total annual cost of his Department's new offices.

Mr. Peter Morrison

The total annual cost to be charged to my Department by the Property Services Agency under the property repayment service is currently estimated at £9.45 million, although the rent paid by the PSA, and hence the actual annual cost to the taxpayer, will be substantially less.

Mr. Smith

Has the Department of Energy not been so successful with its policies, first by privatising gas, now by privatising electricity and soon by privatising coal, that it has effectively done itself out of a job? In those circumstances, would it not be better advised, rather than hiring expensive new offices, to set a time when no offices will be needed?

Mr. Morrison

I am delighted to accept my hon. Friend's congratulations on the Department's success. We still have to get through the Bill to privatise electricity and, as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State explained, coal is for the next Parliament, too. We shall need the odd office from which to organise that. In case my hon. Friend has not seen the figures, may I tell him that in 1986 we had 300,000 sq feet. Today we have 245,000 sq feet, and when we move to our new premises next year the figure will be reduced to 184,000 sq feet. It will have been nearly halved in four years.

Mr. Win Griffiths

What measures will be taken in the new offices to conserve energy? Does the Minister agree that if the Government spent more money on conserving energy instead of on promoting power stations such as Hinkley C we would need no more new power stations for a decade?

Mr. Morrison

I assure the hon. Gentleman that we have taken measures to improve the conservation and use of lighting and heating. Initiatives in that direction have been taken across Whitehall.