§ Mr. ForthTo ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will list the Government Ministers currently occupying publicly owned accommodation, giving the(a) precedents, (b) rationale for such use and (c) total annual cost in each case; [24478]
(2) when he expects to reply to the question from the right hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 16 January 1998 (reference 24478) relating to Government Ministers occupying publicly owned accommodation. [33347]
§ Mr. DuncanTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list the living accommodation provided out of public funds to members of the Government; and to whom it has been granted. [26791]
§ Dr. Lynne JonesTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list those Ministers provided with official residential accommodation in London. [27320]
§ The Prime MinisterOfficial residences are assigned to Ministers either on grounds of security or in order to allow them to perform better their official duties.
No 10 and No 11 Downing Street have traditionally been the residences of the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Carlton Gardens has traditionally been the residence of the Foreign Secretary. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has also traditionally been provided a flat at Hillsborough.
Other Northern Ireland Ministers have the use of Government accommodation while on duty in Northern Ireland. These costs are not separately identifiable.
Admiralty House and the Government house in Pimlico have in the past been assigned to a wide variety of Ministers including the President of the Board of Trade, the Attorney-General, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the Lord President of the Council, the Chief Whip, the Lord Privy Seal, the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, the Paymaster General, the Minister without Portfolio, the Minister for Overseas Development, the Secretary of State for Defence, the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State 20W for Northern Ireland. Accommodation is currently occupied by the Deputy Prime Minister, the President of the Board of Trade, the Secretary of State for Defence and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
In addition the Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for Scotland also have the use of Chequers, Dorneywood, Chevening and Bute House, although none of these is owned by the Government.
The Lord Chancellor has an official residence in the House of Lords which is provided in his capacity as Speaker of the House of Lords. The running costs are met by the House of Lords authorities and do not fall to Government.
The total cost to Government this year of maintaining and refurbishing all Ministerial residences is estimated at £1.1m compared with expenditure last year of £1.2m.