§ Mr. PicklesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken to acquire premises in London to be made available for the residence of the ambassador of the Russian Federation; and on what basis the title of the premises will be held.
§ Mr. GoodladThe premises at 13 Kensington Palace gardens have been made available for the residence of the ambassador of the Russian Federation. 13 Kensington Palace gardens remains part of the Crown Estate, but, as a corporation sole, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has taken a lease of the premises from the Crown Estate Commissioners on the basis of powers under section 2 of the Commissioners of Works Act 1852 and section 122 of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980. My right hon. Friend the then Prime Minister signified her consent in 1986 to the exercise of these powers by the Foreign Secretary for the purpose of acquiring premises to be made available to the then Government of the USSR. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has granted a 99-year underlease of the premises to the Government of the Russian Federation.
The premises at 14 Sofiskaya embankment in Moscow have been made available for the residence of Her Majesy's ambassador on a concurrent 99-year lease.