§ LORD O'HAGANasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether it is their policy to encourage the use of buildings no longer needed by Government Departments as short-life housing; and what plans they have for urgent action to ensure that the procedure for offering round such buildings to all Departments in any way concerned is streamlined.
§ BARONESS YOUNGMy right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has recently amended procedures to ensure that the maximum use is made of housing held by his Department, including housing with a short life held in advance of redevelopment, particularly road building schemes. A special redundant lands and accommodation procedure is used to ensure that land and accommodation surplus to the need of Government Departments is offered to local authorities before being offered for sale on the open market. All these procedures have only recently been reviewed to ensure that they are as streamlined as possible.