HC Deb 22 February 1996 vol 272 cc213-4W
Mr. Don Foster

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence further to paragraph 3.15 of the June 1995 consultation document, what is his latest estimate of the upfront capital costs for the additional building at Abbey Wood and the refurbishment of Ensleigh on the collocation of the naval support command headquarters at Abbey Wood/Ensleigh (Bath); at what cost opportunity costs for spare capacity at Abbey Wood were included in this estimate; and if he will make a statement. [16419]

Mr. Soames

Our estimate for the upfront capital cost for the additional building at Abbey Wood and the refurbishment of Ensleigh remains at about£40 million at 1995 prices and inclusive of VAT. The allowance for the opportunity cost of spare space at Abbey Wood separately included in the investment appraisal was based on the capital cost of the buildings concerned.

Mr. Foster

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are his current plans for the refurbishment of Ensleigh; what is his latest estimate of the cost of the refurbishment; what was the estimated cost in June 1995; and if he will make a statement. [16341]

Mr. Soames

Further work is being undertaken on the scope of the Ensleigh refurbishment programme following the decisions announced last September. Some refurbishment work is already under way. The estimate for the costs of the work is commercially confidential, but the estimate for the overall upfront capital costs of Ensleigh refurbishment and the new building at Abbey Wood remains about£40 million.

Mr. Foster

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his current estimate of(a) the number of staff who will seek household removal and (b) the cost of excess daily fares in respect of the collocation of the naval support command headquarters at Abbey Wood-Ensleigh (Bath); and if he will make a statement. [16342]

Mr. Soames

The consultation document on the NSC headquarters accommodation options assumed, in the appraisal of the Abbey Wood-Ensleigh option, about 100 house moves by Bath-based staff. The transport study which informed this assessment has recently been updated and the results will soon be available. No significant change is expected in the number of staff who may elect to move home. The latest estimate of the total cost of excess fares for the Abbey Wood-Ensleigh option is£5.8 million.

Mr. Foster

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are his latest estimates of the costs of the collocation of the naval support command headquarters at Abbey Wood-Ensleigh (Bath); what are the significant changes from the cost estimates presented in the June 1995 consultation document; and if he will make a statement. [16343]

Mr. Soames

The net present value—NPV—figure for the costs of NSC relocation is£132 million at the latest price base. Other than the price base uplift, from 1994 to 1995 prices, there are no significant changes from the NPV figure presented in the consultation document.