County Hall, London (Hansard, 26 July 1993)

§ Mr. Simon Hughes
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest position with regard to the sale of county hall.

§ Mr. Straw
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will a statement on the future of county hall, London.

§ Mr. Baldry
I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government and Planning to the hon. Member for Harrow, East (Mr. Dykes), on 20 July 1993,Official Report, column 105.

§ Mr. Straw
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the estimated total cost of county hall, London, since(a) the abolition of the Greater London council and (b) the abolition of the Inner London education authority, in terms of (i) maintenance and repairs, (ii) security, (iii) heat, light and other costs and (iv) loss of rental income from unlet vacant offices.

§ Mr. Gummer
The total cost of maintaining the county hall complex since the abolition of the GLC and ILEA during the period whilst it was still substantially occupied is not known. Since it was fully vacated in 1990, the annual cost of maintenance and repairs has been in the region of £980,000, of security £510,000 and of heat, light and similar costs £152,000. It would not be appropriate to seek to estimate the loss of rental income since the London residuary body has never sought to let vacant parts of the complex as this would inhibit its disposal for refurbishment or development.

§ Mr. Straw
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the unconditional sale of the riverside building county hall, London, was completed; to whom; and what was the total consideration.

§ Mr. Gummer
An unconditional contract exists for the sale of the riverside building of county hall to the Shirayama Corporation of Japan and is due to be completed in October. The amount of the consideration is a matter of commercial confidentiality.