§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the(a) annual cost and (b) total value of the empty properties owned by 1118W (i) his Department, (ii) its agencies and (iii) other public bodies for which he has had responsibility in each of the last four years. [30067]
§ Mr. McCartneyThe estimate of the annual cost and total value of empty properties owned by the Department and its agencies for the last four years is set out in the table. The figures relate solely to the former ES part of the DWP estate. The value of these properties has been consistently reducing; when last recorded that accounted for only 0.7 per cent. of total property owned.
£thousand Percentage of total cost/value of the estate 1997–98 Annual costs 6,763 — Value 2,135 — 1998–99 Annual costs 6,231 3.6 Value 1,681 1.3 1999–2000 Annual costs 5,435 3.3 Value 3,578 2.8 2000–01 Annual costs 5,274 3.0 Value 1.168 0.7 The former DSS estate was transferred (for value) via the PRIME PFI project to Land Securities Trillium on 1 April 1998. Since this date the majority of buildings on the former DSS part of the DWP estate has been occupied as serviced accommodation on an as required basis. We have no vacant space as all such accommodation is surrendered to the service provider and the Department only pays for the space it occupies in these buildings.
In 1997–98 DSS had vacant estate with an annual cost of £21,755,150 and a value of £2,896,800. On 1 April 1998 Land Securities Trillium paid £2,896,800 for these vacant properties and assumed responsibility for all costs thereafter.