§ Mr. Barnettasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the way in which his Department disposes of houses no longer required; what has been the average length of time such houses have been empty; and how many empty houses are waiting to be sold at the present time.
§ Mr. RichardSurplus houses belonging to the Ministry of Defence are normally offered to other Government Departments and local authorities; if these do not require them, they are sold to the best advantage. The number in the United Kingdom awaiting disposal at the end of September, 1969, was about 700. The present average length of time they have been empty during disposal is about seven months.