§ Mrs. EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the properties(a) owned and (b) rented or leased by her Department outside the United Kingdom; the purposes for which they are designated and the annual running costs for each property. [54442]
§ Mr. FoulkesThe Department for International Development owns the following three domestic properties outside the United Kingdom each of which are used to house aid personnel and have an average annual running cost of approximately £1,000:
- 11 Hendikz way, Harare
- 11 Brentford, Harare
- 20 Epping road, Harare
Domestic properties are purchased only where there are significant cost advantages. A large number of domestic properties are rented on behalf of aid personnel overseas details of which could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
DFID leases office accommodation directly with local landlords in Pretoria and New Delhi. Annual running costs of each are approximately £400,000 and £100,000 respectively. Other overseas office accommodation is either shared or sub-leased from the FCO. A contractual Agreement is being negotiated with the FCO.