§ Lord Brougham and Vauxasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether No. 2 Marsham Street will be demolished, and, if so, when; and, if not, what plans they have for the complex.
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyResponsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Property Advisers to the Civil Estate. I have asked its Chief Executive, Mr. John Locke to write to the noble Lord.
Letter to Lord Brougham and Vaux from the Chief Executive of the Property Advisers to the Civil Estate, Mr. J. Locke, dated 28 October 1997.
Lord McIntosh of Haringey has asked me to respond to your parliamentary Question about the demolition of No. 2 Marsham Street because Property Advisers to the Civil Estate have responsibility for the building.
2 Marsham Street is occupied by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. The department is due to vacate the building either at the end of this year or early in 1998. The Property Advisers to the Civil Estate are the owners of the building and plan to demolish it in 1998 after it has been vacated, subject to there being no calls for its use as decant accommodation by other government departments who are evaluating options for the refurbishment of their current premises or rehousing elsewhere. Use of 2 Marsham Street in this way might, for example, save the considerable cost of procuring additional temporary accommodation. A full report on the overall cost benefits and consequences of, in effect, delaying the demolition of the existing building is being prepared for Ministers.