§ Mr. SweeneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on Defence agency for the Defence Estates Organisation. [27292]
§ Mr. SoamesThe Defence Estate Organisation was formed on 1 April 1995 from the Defence works service, Defence lands service and a central secretariat branch. The DEO provides a strategic overview of the defence estate and professional support to MOD budget holders and United States visiting forces for the management of the estate, including the contract provision of works services, maintenance of the rural estate, advice on planning issues and the disposal of surplus property. The organisation will now be considered for Defence agency status under the next steps procedures. The first stage of this process is a "prior options" study. This study will consider whether the work that the DEO does should be abolished, privatised or contractorised. An entry inviting comments from interested parties will appear tomorrow in the May 1996 edition of the "Government Opportunities Bulletin".