§ Mr. John Cunninghamasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many dwellings are used by his Department in connection with the Proof and Experimental Establishment at Eskmeals, Cumbria; how many have been renovated in the last two years; what was the average cost per dwelling and the total cost; how many renovated and unrenovated dwellings separately and in total are vacant; how many dwellings have been purchased and at what cost during the last two years; what were the reasons for the purchase; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PattieThe number of dwellings is 52 excluding the Eskmeals estate—see below. 33 dwellings have been renovated in the last two years at an average cost of £2,840 and a total cost of £94,000. Eight renovated dwellings and one unrenovated dwelling are vacant, making a total of nine.
281WThe Department purchased in 1979 the Eskmeals estate, consisting of 300 acres of land together with Eskmeals House, a tenanted farm and two cottages. It is not the practice to divluge details of commercial transactions. The purchase was made to remove restrictions on the use of the firing range and to provide a greater safety margin for its activities. The future use of Eskmeals House and the cottage is under consideration.