§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the role of NatWest Markets in the development of proposals for the privatisation of his Departments housing stock; [15486]
(2) pursuant to his answer of 16 March, Official Report, columns 721–23, regarding his Departments housing stock, whether he will state the possibilities under consideration by his Department for transferring the married quarters estate to the private sector; and if he will make a statement; [15487]
(3) pursuant to his answer of 16 March, Official Report, columns 721–23, regarding his Departments housing 217W stock, what proposals he has considered for the duration of leasehold to be held by his Department following the privatisation of his Departments housing stock; [15474]
(4) pursuant to his answer of 16 March, Official Report, columns 721–23, regarding his Departments housing stock, what provision he has made for the protection of (a) the welfare and (b) the rights of tenancy of service men and women in developing proposals for the privatisation of his Departments housing stock; [15477]
(5) if all moneys accrued from the privatisation of his Departments housing stock will remain within the Departments budget; [15478]
(6) pursuant to his answer of 16 March, Official Report, columns 721–23, regarding his Departments housing stock, what is his estimate for consultancy and legal fees for the completion of proposals for the privatisation of his Departments housing stock; [15480]
(7) when he expects to announce proposals for the privatisation of his Departments housing stock; [15481]
(8) pursuant to his answer of 16 March, Official Report, columns 721–23, regarding his Departments housing stock, if proposals for the privatisation of his Departments housing stock will be open to consultation by members of the armed services and other interested parties; [15482]
(9) pursuant to his answer of 16 March, Official Report, columns 721–23, regarding his Departments housing stock, what assessment he has made of potential security risks in considering proposals for the privatisation of his Departments housing stock. [15483]
§ Mr. SoamesAs I said in my reply to the hon. Member for Milton Keynes, North-East (Mr. Butler) on 8 December 1994,Official Report, column 303, we intend to develop proposals for the possible transfer of the married quarters estate to the private sector, on the basis of initial work undertaken for us last autumn by NatWest Markets. We are close to completing the competitive selection of financial advisers to assist us in this process. Our consideration of the possibilities for such a transfer is still at an early stage, and a good deal of further development and evaluation is needed. It would therefore be premature at this stage to speculate as to what proposals may emerge from this work, what their details might be, what further independent professional advice might be required to assist the development of these proposals, and what the financial and other implications of such proposals may prove to be. We envisage that we will be in a position to make a further statement on these issues in the second half of the year, and any proposals which we may bring forward in due course will be the subject of appropriate consultation. In the course of our on-going consideration of the possibilities, we shall continue to pay particular attention to the operational and security requirements of the services, and to the welfare and interests of service personnel and their families.
§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the cost of urgent and unavoidable repairs to be made to his Departments housing stock; and how much has been spent on urgent and unavoidable repairs in each of the last 10 years. [15475]
§ Mr. SoamesNo central record is kept of this information, but the defence housing executive will take on responsibility for the management and maintenance of the married quarters estate from 1 April, and the cost of218W urgent and unavoidable repairs will be met from within its overall budget. We expect that the improved housing management for which the executive is being established will in due course reduce the incidence of requirements for such repairs.
§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 16 March,Official Report, columns 721–23, regarding his Departments housing stock, what estimate he has made of the financial value of his Departments housing stock; and if he will make a statement. [15476]
§ Mr. SoamesThe value which might be realised in any transfer of the married quarters estate to the private sector will depend on a range of factors, which we will be able to determine only as detailed proposals are developed.