HC Deb 13 April 1981 vol 3 cc62-5W
Mr. Latham

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total number of dwellings completed by the Property Services Agency in 1980; and what is the programme for 1981.

Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg

The figures are as follows:

Year Number
1980 441
1981 (estimated) 198

Mr. Latham

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he will bring up to date, as of 1 April 1981, the detailed information about staff of the Property Services Agency, including surveyors and building workers, given in reply to three questions from the hon. Member for Melton by the Under-Secretary of State on 4 June 1980;

(2) whether he will set out in tabular form for 1 April 1981 (a) the total number of architects, including landscape architects, employed by the Property Services Agency and (b) the equivalent figure for the design office of the Directorate-General of Design Services;

(3) whether he will break down in tabular form, similar to that provided in the reply to the hon. Member for Melton on 4 June 1980, details of the staff currently in post in the Directorate-General of Design Services, including their grades and professional disciplines.

Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg

I will answer these questions shortly.

Mr. Latham

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the value of the work, identified separately as new construction and maintenance, carried out by the Property Services Agency in 1980; how much of it was outside the United Kingdom; and what is the anticipated figure for 1981.

Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg

The figures, at cash prices, including work done on repayment for other bodies, are as follows:

£ million
New works Maintenance
Total Overseas Total Overseas
1980 577 57 467 89
1981 614 69 570 107

1979–80 1978–79 1977–78 1976–77
£ million £ million £ million £ million
Sales
Commodities 149 112 115 123
Operational services 23 20 19 17
Customer services 41 30 29 28
213 162 163 168
Demands for commodities placed directly by clients on suppliers under contracts arranged by PSA supplies 264 166 147 116
Surplus after interest 1.721 2.614 5.213 3.856
Surplus before interest on long term borrowing as a percentage of average net assets 12 per cent. 17 per cent. 28 per cent. 27 per cent.
Total costs—historic terms
Purchase of goods and services for resale 171 125 123 130
Salaries, wages, Nat. Insurance Superannuation 22 19 19 18
Other administrative overheads 16 13 13 14
209 157 155 162
Since PSA supplies operates profitably on a trading fund basis, no direct costs to public funds were incurred.

1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976
Staff in post at 1 April 3,007 3,277 3,629 3,734 4,022 4,100

Mr. Latham

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list the current design programme of work of the design office of the Directorate-General of Design Services indicating any changes since 4 June 1980 arising either from the completion of the work or the postponement of the scheme on economy grounds.

Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg

The current programme of work of the design office of the Director-General of Design Services consists of the following projects:

In Construction

  • Stone: British Telecommunications training centre; sports complex.

In Design

  • HMS "Osprey": Physical and recreational training centre
  • Croydon: Crown courts
  • HMS "Sultan": Physical and recreational training centre, laboratory block and classrooms
  • Catterick: Bapaume barracks; junior ranks facilities, office and storage accommodation
  • Hartland Point: Reprovision of operations building
  • Kineton: Central ammunitions depot development
  • Stone: British Telecommunications training centre; central,

Mr. Latham

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will bring up to date the statistical information regarding Property Services Agency supplies given in answers to three questions from the hon. Member for Melton by the Under-Secretary of State on 4 June 1980.

Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg

The statistical information requested is given as follows. With the exception of staff in post at 1 April 1981, figures for 1980–81 are not yet available.

administration and engineering buildings, boilerhouse modifications and ancillary work

Boulmer: Redevelopment of the domestic site for the RAF.

Changes in the programme of work since 4 June 1980 have been:

Schemes completed

  • Woking: 38 married soldiers' quarters
  • Coltishall: Single officers' quarters
  • Bentwaters: PSA/USAF offices
  • Harrogate: Permanent staff accommodation
  • Lympstone: Medical dental centre, church, car park and parade ground.

Schemes postponed

  • Poole: Officers' mess extension
  • Lympstone: Lecture theatre
  • HMS "Osprey": Naval patrol headquarters
  • Colchester: NAAFI families shop and married quarters, exchange store
  • Saxa Vord: Junior ranks accommodation
  • Catterick: Vimy barracks physical and recreational training centre.

Mr. Anthony Grant

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many qualified architects are employed at present by the Property Services Agency.

Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg

The agency at present employs 520 architects.

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