HC Deb 20 December 1991 vol 201 cc384-5W
Mr. O'Neill

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for East Lothian (Mr. Home Robertson) of 5 November,Official Report, column 96, how many houses are in the process of being sold; and what is the average length of time for which these houses have been empty.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

No later figures than those previously given are yet available for the total number of houses in the process of being sold. The average length of time these houses have been vacant could only be calculated at disproportionate cost.

Mr. O'Neill

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how much surplus service property will be made available to housing associations to give temporary help to service personnel in severe housing need;

(2) pursuant to his reply of 22 November, Official Report, column 355, if he will list each announcement made to date about the transfer of service married quarters to housing associations.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

Discussions with housing associations are continuing and announcements will be made in due course.

Mr. O'Neill

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel have purchased their homes through the services' discount scheme in each(a) year and (b) quarter since its inception.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

Since the services discount scheme was introduced, the following numbers of service personnel have purchased their homes at a discount:

Financial year Quarter 1 Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4 Total
1984–85 — — — — 153
1985–86 — — — — 308
1986–87 — — — — 438
1987–88 — — — — 452
1988–89 — — — — 562
1989–90 — — — — 610
1990–91 200 247 138 141 726
11991–92 124 158 — — 282
1 To 30 September 1991.

In addition, some 500 properties are in the process of being sold through the discount scheme.

Quarterly figures are available only from financial year 1990–91.

Mr. O'Neill

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current backlog of anavoidable and essential repairs for service accommodation at Tidworth garrison.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

The current backlog of maintenance for service accommodation at Tidworth garrison amounts to £8.7 million on unavoidable repairs and £2.3 million on essential repairs. An extensive modernisation programme is planned.

Mr. O'Neill

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state the location of those service properties that are currently being irregularly occupied.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

Most service establishments throughout the United Kingom have some married quarters irregularly occupied, but the information is not held centrally.

Mr. O'Neill

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the backlog of unavoidable and essential repairs for(a) single accommodation, (b) married quarters and (c) empty accommodation.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave on 14 November at column671.

Mr. O'Neill

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for East Lothian, (Mr. Home Robertson),Official Report, column 96, if he will publish the number and location of vacant married quarters that are awaiting (a) unavoidable and essential repairs and (b) urgent repairs.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces will write to the hon. Member.

Mr. O'Neill

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current expenditure to date on the work of the service housing task force.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

To date, expenditure on the work of the service housing task force, including stall costs, amounts to £173,500.