Mr. O'NeillTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much money has been spent in each year since 1979 on improving grade 4 service accommodation.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonFigures for works expenditure are not kept in the format requested and could not be provided without incurring disproportionate expense.
Mr. O'NeillTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much money has been spent in each year since 1979 on the improvement of service accommodation.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe Department places a high priority on the improvement of service accommodation and consequently expenditure on improving this type of accommodation has increased substantially over the past two or three years. Figures for works expenditure are not, however, kept in the format requested and could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate expense.
Mr. O'NeillTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans exist for bringing grade 4 service accommodation up to standard with civilian housing.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonService accommodation is graded according to amenity, locational and environmental factors as well as physical condition and facilities, so that the grading of properties has only an indirect bearing on whether they require modernisation. It is not clear on what basis the standard of a property such as a barracks could be compared with that for civilian housing. However, all three services have extensive rolling modernisation programmes for married quarters and single living accommodation, regardless of grading. They plan to complete the modernisation of the former within 10 to 15 years. Single living accommodation will take longer.