§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) houses and (b) flats and maisonettes are available for use as married quarters for service men and their families in the Woolwich area; and how many of these were occupied at the most recent convenient date.
§ Mr. FreemanThere are currently 783 married quarters in the Woolwich area provided by the Ministry of Defence, of which 462 are houses and 321 are flats. As at 31 July 1986, 59 houses and 59 flats were vacant, but of these, 37 houses and 20 flats were allocated to incoming families. A further 22 houses and 22 flats were empty while undergoing repairs, and the balance of 17 flats were being held against future requirements. The hon. Gentleman will wish to know that 21 flats were let to the local council in June 1986 on a short term renewable lease.
§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) houses and (b) flats and maisonettes are currently owned or leased by his Department for use as married quarters; and how many of these were occupied at the most recent convenient date.
§ Mr. FreemanAs at 31 July 1986, the stock of married quarters owned by the Ministry of Defence in the United Kingdom totalled 82,777 and a further 144 were leased as hirings; of this total, 14,381 were vacant. Of the vacant married quarters, 5,030 were undergoing or awaiting repair, 2,617 were allocated to incoming families, 1,999 were held against future requirements and 842 were being processed for disposal. The remaining 3,893 houses are surplus to requirements and will be passed in due course to the Property Services Agency for disposal.
The Ministry of Defence also has a stock of 47,359 married quarters overseas, of which 5,264 are owned and the balance are either leased as hirings or are made available by the host nation.
I regret that to break the figures down into the categories requested by the hon. Gentleman would require a disproportionate amount of effort.