HC Deb 09 March 1995 vol 256 cc343-5W
Mr. Jamieson

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) on what dates(a) the Crown Housing Trust will cease to exist and (b) the Defence Housing Executive will commence operating;

(2) where the Crown Housing Trust currently operates from; and where the Defence Housing Executive will be based.

Mr. Soames

The original proposal to set up a housing trust encountered difficulties, and the trust was therefore never formally established. The Defence Housing Executive is on course to assume responsibility for the management and maintenance of the married quarters estate from 1 April 1995. The staff initially recruited to set up the housing trust were originally accommodated in Ministry of Defence offices in London. From 1 August 1994, the staff involved, who have subsequently been working on setting up the Defence Housing Executive moved to other Government offices in central London. The Defence Housing Executive is also in the process of appointing regional and area staff throughout the country; as existing service or Ministry of Defence civilian personnel, these staff are accommodated in either Defence or common user estate property. It is expected that these arrangements will continue.

Mr. Jamieson

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) who was responsible for appointing the employees of the Crown Housing Trust; and who will be responsible for appointing the employees of the Defence Housing Executive;

(2) if the chief executive of the Crown Housing Trust is eligible for consideration for the post of chief executive of the Defence Housing Executive.

Mr. Soames

The chief executive, designate, housing director, designate, and finance director, designate, of the trust were appointed by my Department following open competition and in accordance with the recommendations of an appointments board chaired by the First Civil Service Commission. Other staff of the embryo trust organisation were serving civil servants and agency support staff. Arrangements for the appointment of a chief executive for the Defence Housing Executive have yet to be finalised. The other staff of the executive are being drawn from the Department's civilian and service personnel resources; it is envisaged that a limited number of appointments will in due course be made by means of open competition where the required expertise is not available within Government personnel resources.

Mr. Jamieson

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if his Department will be setting annual targets for the Defence Housing Executive for the number of vacant dwellings among Ministry of Defence-owned properties.

Mr. Soames

In common with all Government Departments holding residential property, my Department agrees annually with the Department of the Environment a target for a reduction in the number of void properties it holds. Achievement of the target to be agreed for my Department for 1995–96 will be the responsibility of the Defence Housing Executive.

Dr. David Clark

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people have signed contracts to work with the Defence Housing Executive.

Mr. Soames

Arrangements for the appointment of a chief executive for the Defence Housing Executive have yet to be finalised. The other staff of the executive are being drawn from my Department's civilian and service personnel resources; it is envisaged that a limited number of appointments will in due course be made by means of open competition where the required expertise is not available within Government personnel resources.

Dr. David Clark

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total cost of renting office accommodation for his Department's housing trust and Defence Housing Executive; where are the offices; and for how long they have been rented.

Mr. Soames

The staff initially recruited to set up the housing trust were originally accommodated in Ministry of Defence offices in London. From 1 August 1994, the staff involved, who have subsequently been working on setting up the Defence Housing Executive, moved to other Government offices in central London. The rental cost to the end of February 1995 is some £191,000. The Defence Housing Executive is also in the process of appointing regional and area staff throughout the country; as existing service or Ministry of Defence civilian personnel, these staff are accommodated in either defence or common user estate property. It is expected that these arrangements will continue.

Dr. David Clark

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will specify the total payments to date made to(a) Coopers and Lybrand, (b) NatWest Markets and (c) Savills for work carried out in respect of his Department's plans for the married quarters housing stock; and whether this work is still continuing;

£ thousand
Financial year 1991–92 Financial year 1992–93 Financial year 1993–94 Financial year 1994–95 Total
Internal costs — — 312 857 1,169
External costs
Legal advice — 3 102 825 930
Other professional fees 8 13 462 2,852 3,335
Total 8 16 876 4,534 5,434

Notes

  1. 1. All costs shown are outturn prices exclusive of VAT for external costs. VAT is refunded to the Department on "contracted-out services" such as legal advice, agency staff and other professional services.
  2. 2. Internal costs are primarily salary costs and office accommodation, but cover also such items as office machinery, computers and stationery.
  3. 3. External costs for financial year 1994–95 take account of invoices received to date.

Payments to individual companies are commercially confidential. The possibility of further work for such companies depends on the outcome of the competitive selection of financial and other advisers which we are at present carrying out, and on any future need for advice which may be identified.