HC Deb 14 March 2000 vol 346 cc109-11W
Mr. Key

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what price will be charged to service families for the Defence Housing Executive's contract cleaning scheme on vacating property; where it will be trialled; when it will be available universally; and if he will make a statement. [113757]

Dr. Moonie

[holding answer 13 March 2000]: The charges for cleaning Families' Quarters on vacation have yet to be determined and are likely to vary according to location and property size. The trial will be run in all areas where the Defence Housing Executive has managerial responsibility; that is to say, throughout the UK mainland. The trial, which will run from autumn 2000 for 12 months, is designed to identify and iron out any procedural difficulties in order that a cost effective long term contract can be put in place on its completion. Use of the scheme by occupants will be entirely optional. They may, if they choose, continue as now to make their own arrangements for cleaning on moving out.

Mr. Key

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the return rate for the defence housing executive's customer satisfaction slips; and if he will make a statement. [113752]

Dr. Moonie

[holding answer 13 March 2000]: Between June and November 1999 (the latest available figures) the Defence Housing Executive (DHE) had a 15.7 per cent. response rate from customers in Families' Quarters who had requested repairs to their properties. Of these, 91.2 per cent. indicated that they were satisfied with the repairs made.

Mr. Key

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many married quarters in each grade are available to the Defence Housing Executive; how many service families are entitled to quarters in each grade; and if he will make a statement. [113758]

Dr. Moonie

[holding answer 13 March 2000]: The breakdown of family quarters by type is as follows:

Number
Officers:
I 73
II 370
III 1,986
IV 3,962
V 5,629
Other ranks
D 3,842
C 28,807
B 17,034
A 0

All married personnel in the Armed Forces are entitled to a quarter near their place of duty and the allocation of quarters is based partly on rank and partly on family size. Entitlement to a type of quarter changes whenever either of those variables alters. It is therefore not possible to break down the figures to indicate how many Service families are entitled to quarters in each grade.

When seeking to identify demand for future housing stock levels, current demand (which is a reflection of family requirements) is used as an indicator. DHE would not, for example, seek to retain or replace quarters of a type for which current demand was low.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy towards service families left living in service quarters after divorce or separation from the serviceman or woman to whom those quarters had been allocated. [114207]

Dr. Moonie

[holding answer 13 March 2000]: In the event of marital breakdown, the Marital Category of the Service person changes from married to single. At this point, unless the Service person has custodial responsibilities for a child, they are no longer entitled to occupy a family quarter and are consequently required to move into single living accommodation. The estranged family is also required to vacate the family quarter but is given a 93 day notice period in which to do so. The Service person continues to be liable to pay the entitled rate of accommodation charges for the duration of the notice period.

DHE issues a Notice to Vacate at the beginning of the 93 day period and advises the estranged spouse to contact the local authority to inquire about housing. If the estranged spouse remains in the family quarter after the 93 day notice has expired, they become liable to pay Damages for Trespass. This charge is calculated on the basis of prevailing market rents in that particular area. At the 93 day point, DHE will review the particular circumstances and decide whether to apply for a Possession Order.

If the quarter is required for another, entitled, Service family or if the local authority will not consider the estranged family for local authority housing unless they can demonstrate impending homelessness, the DHE will seek a Possession Order.

DHE officials liaise with local authority staff on such cases and it is usually possible for local authorities and DHE to agree a mutually convenient move out date for the family.

Mr. Key

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the review of married quarters estates produced by Professor Ian Cole of Sheffield University. [113754]

Dr. Moonie

[holding answer 13 March 2000]: Copies of Professor Cole's study on the Ministry of Defence Mixed Estates were placed in the Library of the House in 1998.