§ Mr. ByersTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Sunderland, South (Mr. Mullin) of 1 July,Official Report, column 764, if he will state the latest valuation of the official service residences and the annual running costs of the residences.
§ Mr. HanleyIt is, of course, not feasible to value properties accurately without placing them on the open342W market. My Department does, however, assign estimated sale valuations where possible and the latest valuation for official service residences is approximately £34,000,000. This valuation covers 67 of the 77 residences in the United Kingdom and overseas. Not all properties have a valuation assigned to them as some are located within defence establishments and could not be sold separately, whilst others belong to foreign Governments. Annual running costs for individual residences are not held centrally, but the total maintenance and furniture and equipment costs for the last two financial years for all residences is approximately £5,000,000. The annual cost for domestic and household staff for all residences is approximately £5,000,000.