§ Mr. Robert BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out the numbers and location of empty married quarters in North Yorkshire.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonAs at 31 March 1992, the latest date for which figures are available, 382 MOD-owned service married quarters were vacant in North Yorkshire. The breakdown by location was as follows:
Location Number vacant HMS Forest Moor 4 Bedale 1 Catterick Garrison 111 Dishforth 64 Guisborough 1 Ripon 12 Topcliffe 7 Harrogate 30 Church Fenton 52 Fylingdales 9 Leeming 6 Linton-on-Ouse 85 Total 382 This figure represents 8.8 per cent. of the stock and is below the management margin advised by outside consultants as appropriate to meet defence requirements.
Many of these properties were either undergoing or awaiting major maintenance work or modernisation and some were already allotted to service families who were due to move in shortly.
In addition, two properties in Whitby and one in Ripon were in the process of being sold.