HC Deb 28 June 1993 vol 227 cc386-7W
Mr. Fatchett

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many civil servants from his Department have been transferred from London to the Benefits Agency headquarters at Leeds.

Mr. Hague

A total of 324 civil servants have moved from London to the Benefits Agency headquarters at Leeds.

Ms Primarolo

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the total number of people provided with relocation expenses in connection with the move to Quarry house.

Mr. Hague

A total of 513 staff have been given help with relocation expenses as a result of moving home to the Leeds area to take up posts in Quarry house.

Ms Primarolo

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will place in the Library(a) a copy of the contract and budget for Quarry house between his Department and Norwest Holst and (b) copies of the original and final costings of Quarry house.

Mr. Hague

It is not possible to place a copy of the Norwest Holst contract and budget for Quarry house in the Library as the document is classified as being commercial-in-confidence.

Following the signing of the contract with Norwest Holst it was estimated that it would cost the Department £57.3 million to build Quarry house but it will actually cost in the region of £55.5 million.

Ms Primarolo

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the estimated costs for the relocation expenses of his Department's move to Quarry house.

Mr. Hague

The move to Quarry house will cost approximately £12,900,000 in relocation expenses.

Mr. Fatchett

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much was spent in the construction and decoration of Quarry house in Leeds on(a) the heated swimming pool, (b) squash courts, (c) sports hall and gym and (d) hand-woven carpets.

Mr. Hague

These costs are included within the main building contract for Quarry house. It is not therefore possible to provide a precise figure.

A hand-woven carpet, costing £14,410 excluding VAT, has been laid on a section of the ground floor of Quarry house as part of the Quarry house project's contribution to the "Percent For Art" initiative.