HC Deb 03 February 1986 vol 91 cc58-9W
Mr. Teddy Taylor

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many houses or flats are owned by his Department in Shoeburyness:. and how many of these are required for the housing of Ministry of Defence personnel;

(2) if he will offer for sale, at discounted prices comparable to local authority dwellings, those houses occupied by Ministry of Defence personnel made redundant in consequence of contractorisation who are taking up employment with the new private contractors; and if he will make a statement;

(3) what plans he has for the disposal of surplus residential properties owned by his Department in Shoeburyness; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lee

The Ministry of Defence owns 226 dwellings in the Shoeburyness area, 137 of which are occupied by military personnel or civilian employees, 99 of whom are employed at the proof and experimental establishment, Shoeburyness. There are no plans at present to dispose of any of these properties but should any of them become available for sale, tenants would be given the opportunity to buy under a discount scheme comparable to that of a local authority.

Mr. Teddy Taylor

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many Ministry of Defence personnel employed by the proof and experimental establishment, Shoeburyness, reside in houses owned by his Department; how many of these persons are being made redundant by his Department in consequence of contractorisation; and how many have been issued with notices to quit their homes;

(2) why he will not permit those employees made redundant by his contractorisation proposals for Shoeburyness proof and experimental establishment, who are to be employed by the new contractor, to continue as tenants of his Department; and if he will make a statement;

(3) how many former employees of his Department are being made homeless in consequence of the contracting out of certain services at the Proof and Experimental Establishment at Shoeburyness, Essex; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lee

Ninety-nine military and civilian personnel employed at the proof and experimental establishment presently reside in Ministry of Defence owned houses. Of these, 14 civilian employees will be made redundant when the first phase of the contractorisation of the establishment takes place. Only one of these employees has received a notice to quit. He is occupying an Army married quarter and under normal military procedures would be expected to vacate the house when his MOD employment ended. The notice to quit has been withdrawn whilst his accommodation needs are sympathetically reviewed in the light of his future employment intentions.