Northgate House, Derby (Hansard, 19 March 1979)

§ Mr. Rost
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when a lease was signed for the Northgate House office block in Derby; if the offices were intended for the Inland Revenue to administer a proposed wealth tax; how long the offices have remained unoccupied; and what has been the total cost to public funds.

§ Mr. Shore
The property was acquired for the purposes of a wealth tax and the lease was signed on 27 December 1976. The property will be fully occupied by April 1979. The total cost to public funds of the nugatory rent and rates involved in the change of use is £319,000.

§ Mr. Rost
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why the Inland Revenue acquired a lease for Northgate House, Derby, for the administration of a wealth tax before such a tax was approved by Parliament; why the offices have remained unoccupied; and if he will set up an inquiry into the circumstances under which public funds have been spent.

1977–75 1978–79 1979–80

£ £ £

New house building, including the acquisition of land under part V of the Housing Act 1957 and the acquisition of new dwellings for first- time occupation by council tenants 4,401,000 5,533,000^* 5,946,000

Slum clearance; renovation and improvement of council dwellings; and acquisition of existing dwellings for continued housing use 2,366,000

^* Excluding £940,000 underspending in 1977–78 brought forward.

The council has discretion how to spend the cash limit on the items listed.
In 1977 the council started 273 new dwellings and completed 284; in 1978 it started 202 and completed 274. Final figures for dwellings modernised are not yet to hand, but the council's latest housing
422W

§ Mr. Shore
The Government may, exceptionally, need to authorise the Property Services Agency to enter into commitments before legislation is laid or debated so that the necessary accommodation can be provided in time. My right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary announced this in a written answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) on 13 March 1975 and a Supplementary Estimate was subsequently approved; the building remained empty while discussions were taking place within Inland Revenue on the suitability of the accommodation to house four tax districts and while the accommodation was adapted for the purpose; my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary has no plans to get up such an inquiry.

	1977–75	1978–79	1979–80
	£	£	£
New house building, including the acquisition of land under part V of the Housing Act 1957 and the acquisition of new dwellings for first- time occupation by council tenants	4,401,000	5,533,000^*	5,946,000
Slum clearance; renovation and improvement of council dwellings; and acquisition of existing dwellings for continued housing use	2,366,000
^* Excluding £940,000 underspending in 1977–78 brought forward.