§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total number of military service houses and flats that were empty on 1 March.
§ Mr. SoamesAs at 31 December last year, which is the latest date for which figures are available, my Department owned 9,992 vacant service married quarters. A further 2,160 former married quarters were vacant and in the process of being sold.
Discussions are being held with the Housing Corporation on an enhanced programme of short term leasing to housing associations for married quarters which are temporarily surplus to our requirements. The majority of the vacant married quarters are not surplus, however, but are undergoing or awaiting major maintenance, held for future deployments or form part of the management margin needed to ensure that accommodation is available for entitled service families.