§ 61. Mr. FrenchTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what factors he takes into account in deciding whether to release land currently held by his Department.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonIt is Government policy that the defence estate should be no larger than necessary to satisfy the requirements of the armed forces and we are continually seeking opportunities for rationalisation and release of surplus land. As well as considering operational requirements, rationalisation studies take into account economic factors such as potential disposal receipts and savings in running costs.
§ Mr. CanavanTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much land his Department owns throughout the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement about Her Majesty's Government policy on such land ownership.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonAt 1 April 1990, Ministry of Defence landholdings in the United Kingdom, including freehold and leasehold land and foreshore, stood at 240,613 hectares. The defence estate exists to meet the services' needs for operational bases, training areas, accommodation and support facilities and it is our policy that the size of the estate is the minimum necessary to meet these requirements. Since 1979, more than 12,000 hectares of land have been sold and we are continually seeking further opportunities to rationalise and reduce our landholdings.