§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy regarding the insurance of listed and historic buildings owned by the Government.
§ Mr. TraceyThe general approach to insuring buildings, including historic buildings, owned by the Government is for the Crown to cover its own risks.
§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many Government-owned buildings are not insured; and if he will estimate the annual cost of insuring all of them on the commercial market.
§ Mr. TraceyExcept for cases where special considerations apply, very few Government-owned buildings are commercially insured. With an estate of this size it is cheaper to pay the direct costs of occasional disasters rather than to insure at commercial rates.