§ Mr. Spenceasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the open market value of the 132 surplus to requirement houses at RAF Dishforth; how much has been spent to date on their care and maintenance, and by whom, since they fell vacant; how much has been paid and by whom to the local authority in rates, whilst vacant; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Wiggin[pursuant to his answer, 24 March 1982]: It is estimated that the 132 houses at RAF Dishforth which were at one time surplus to RAF requirements might have realised between £500,000 and £1 million if sold on the open market depending on whether the difficulties over the adoption of the Ministry of Defence sewage treatment works and the provision of a mains water supply could have been resolved.
Expenditure on rates and care and maintenance cannot be identified separately for the surplus married quarters since they did not all become vacant at the same time. The Treasury valuer has, however, paid a contribution in lieu of rates of £17,224 for all 195 married quarters at Dishforth in 1981–82, and the Ministry of Defence, through the Property Services Agency, has expended £36,000 on maintenance for the same properties over the same period.