§ 3. Mrs. Jane KennedyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to transfer his Department's surplus housing to ensure that it can be used for low-cost rented accommodation.
§ The Minister of State for the Armed Forces (Mr. Jeremy Hanley)Wherever possible, surplus married quarters are offered for sale to housing associations. In some circumstances, properties may be offered on lease to local authorities or housing associations for use as rented accommodation.
§ Mrs. KennedyDoes the Minister accept that a number of his ministerial colleagues have admitted that neither housing associations nor local authorities can afford to purchase MOD surplus housing stock? Will he therefore take a positive step to assist local authorities by supporting the Labour party's demand that local authorities be allowed to keep 100 per cent. of receipts from the sale of council housing instead of the miserly 25 per cent. allowed by the Government?
§ Mr. HanleyI would rather stick to my own departmental responsibilities and explain that there are some 70,000 married quarters in the defence estate. Fewer than 10,000 are now vacant for one reason or another, but the record that we have established over the past few years is impressive. In the past year, we have sold more than 2,000 houses and we plan to sell 5,000 more over the next five years. We also contribute to helping the homeless and have leased more than 1,000 vacant homes to local authorities for rent.
§ Mr. Matthew BanksWill my hon. Friend give the House an assurance that when selling off surplus housing stock, in these days of putting the "Front Line First", he will not lose sight of the need to secure an adequate return for the taxpayer at large?
§ Mr. HanleyMy hon. Friend makes a very good point. We have to balance the interests of the taxpayer with the interests of those who serve in the armed forces. I believe that the housing discount scheme and other schemes that give priority to those in the armed forces achieve that balance.
§ Mr. William RossWhen the hon. Gentleman is disposing of such accommodation, will he look carefully at the quality of accommodation that has to be used by the 140 Royal Irish Regiment in Northern Ireland, where three of my constituency members were burned to death very recently? Will he apply some of the receipts from the sale of surplus dwellings to improve that accommodation? When does he expect to receive a full detailed report of that tragedy and will he publish it?
§ Mr. HanleyThe hon. Gentleman raises an important point which is more about barrack sleeping accommodation than married quarters. The hon. Gentleman is right that it is an important issue which must be resolved. A full inquiry is being carried out and as soon as we receive the results I will make sure that he receives a copy.