HC Deb 30 January 1996 vol 270 cc648-50W
Mr. Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the annual cost to his Department and his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies of their empty and under-utilised properties for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11430]

Sir Paul Beresford

Prior to 1990 the civil estate was managed by the Property Services Agency. Its archived records could be accessed only at disproportionate cost.

On 1 April 1990 Property Holdings assumed responsibility for the whole of the Government common user (office) estate in which Government Departments and their agencies are housed. Separate identification of the costs of unoccupied property has been made since 1 April 1993. A considerable amount of surplus space has been disposed of since then. The costs of holding CUE space vacant, together with the costs of disposing of vacant space, have been or are expected to be:

  • 1993–94: £86.5 million (actual)
  • 1994–95: £90.9 million (actual)
  • 1995–96: £161.6 million (estimated)

From 1 April 1996 individual Departments will be accountable for all the offices in which they have occupations, including any vacant space therein. All wholly vacant buildings on the common user estate will be transferred to a new body, Property Advisers to the Civil Estate, for ultimate disposal. The continuing costs of vacant space to be transferred to PACE, together with costs associated with disposal of vacant space, are estimated to be £133 million for 1996–97.

Since 1990 the marked decline in civil service staff numbers, combined with rationalisation, relocation out of London and the more effective use of office space, has enabled Departments to declare an ever increasing volume of space surplus to requirements. Sluggish market conditions have not enabled disposals to keep pace with these surrenders. In the longer term, reduction in the size of the Government's office estate will provide the taxpayer with even greater value for money.

So far as the Department of the Environment itself is concerned, estimates of the cost of vacant space are:

  • 1993–94: £0.6 million (estimated)
  • 1994–95: £0.9 million (estimated)
  • 1995–96: £0.5 million (estimated)
  • 1996–97: £1.4 million (estimated)

These figures cover the Department and its agencies, including the residual Property Services Agency, as well as the Department's share of costs of unified Government

Expenditure on hospitality
£ thousands
1989–90 1991–92 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 (forecast)
DOE (Central) 51 56 68 76 71
Property Holdings n/a 8 7 8 10
Total Department 51 64 75 84 81
Planning Inspectorate 0 0 1 2 2
Building Research Establishment 4 17 12 10 10
The Buying Agency n/a 2 3 4 4
Security Facilities Executive n/a n/a 2 6 5
QEII Conference Centre n/a 10 14 15 12
PSA Services 0 98 50 2 0

The figures for the planning inspectorate for 1989–90 is included within the departmental total.

The Buying Agency figure for 1991–92 is for the period 1 April to 31 December. The figure for 1993–94 is for the period 1 January to 31 December 1993.

Expenditure on overseas travel, overseas accommodation and other associated expenses
£ thousands
1989–90 1991–92 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 (forecast)
DOE (Central) 331 393 454 519 550
PSA Services 3,912 1,213 120 0 0

These figures exclude Property Holdings.

The remaining information requested is not held centrally in the form required and could be made available only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of his Department's expenditure on newspapers and magazines in(a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95 and (c) 1995–96, to date; and if he will list the publications purchased for the latest year for which information is available. [11432]

offices. Information on costs within the 35 non-Crown NDPBs sponsored by DOE could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.