§ Mr. ByersTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was spent on maintenance, furniture, fittings and refurbishment at the official service residence, Air house, at Rheindahlen, Germany, for each year since 1985; which officers lived in the residence from 1985; who authorised the expenditure; and when the property was sold and for how much.
§ Mr. SoamesAir house, Rheindahlen was the property of the Federal German Government and was returned to them on 30 June 1993. The occupants since 1985 were as follows:
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Occupants Year Air Marshal Sir David Parry-Evans 1985–87 Air Marshal Sir Anthony Skingsley 1987–89 Air Marshal Roger Palin 1989–91 Air Marshal Sir Andrew Wilson 1991–93 Details of expenditure on the residence from 1991 are contained in annex C to my Department's paper on official services residences which is in the Library of the House.
Figures for earlier years could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Since the reorganisation of the MOD budgetary system in 1991, ultimate responsibility for expenditure within each top level budget has rested with the relevant budget holder, who in this case was the Air Officer Commanding in Chief Germany. A significant portion of the expenditure shown reflected decisions on security made earlier.