§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the President of the Board of Trade 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. [11435]
Mr. John M. TaylorMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment is providing figures for vacant space on the common user estate. These670W figures cover most of my Department's properties. This reply supplements the central response by supplying information covering properties classed as departmental estate for which my Department, including its agencies and non-departmental public bodies, currently has direct responsibility.
The cost of vacant property on the departmental estate for which my Department was responsible in 1995–96 is expected to be £215,000. Figures for empty property prior to 1995–96 are available only at disproportionate cost.
Responsibility for the remainder of the civil estate occupied by my Department will transfer to my Department from the Department of the Environment on 1 April 1996. The transfer is expected to increase the cost of vacant property for which my Department is responsible by £1,200,000 for 1996–97.
The annual cost of under-utilised property in my Department can be estimated only at disproportionate cost.