§ Mr. Home RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many married quarters in(a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland will remain in his ownership following the sale of the married quarters estate; and how many of these require upgrading to bring them to a satisfactory condition. [30002]
§ Mr. ArbuthnotThe sale of the married quarters estate does not involve properties in Scotland or Northern Ireland, where my Department owned 6,707 and 3,130 married quarters respectively at 31 March 1996. Of these totals, 159 in Scotland and 120 in Northern Ireland require work in order to bring them back into use.
The sale of the married quarters estate in England and Wales is being progressed as an integrated package and separating the two for the purpose of this reply would incur disproportionate costs. Figures for the sale have yet to be finalised, but I am able to advise that, after the sale, my Department will continue to own some 3,000 married quarters in England and Wales not included in the sale, and will continue to own the freehold on the properties in the sale which we will then take back for service use through underleases. Out of all the properties involved, some 1,700 require work to bring them back into use.