Royal Army Medical College, Millbank (Hansard, 24 January 2001)

§ Mr. Duncan Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in respect of the sale of the Royal Army Medical College at Millbank. [146887]

§ Dr. Moonie
[holding answer 23 January 2001]The Ministry of Defence consulted a number of other Government Departments, including the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, before a final decision was taken on the preferred bidder for the purchase of the site of the former Royal Army Medial College at Millbank.

§ Mr. Duncan Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the agreed selling price of the Royal Army Medical College at Millbank. [146882]

§ Dr. Moonie
[holding answer 23 January 2001]I am withholding details of the agreed selling price under exemption 7 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

§ Mr. Duncan Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the contract to sell the Royal Army Medical College at Millbank has been signed. [146885]

§ Dr. Moonie
[holding answer 23 January 2001]The proposed date for exchange of contracts is 14 February, with completion due on 28 February.

§ Mr. Duncan Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what meetings Ministers in his Department have had with bidders for the purchase of the Royal Army Medical College at Millbank. [146886]

§ Dr. Moonie
[holding answer 23 January 2001]My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I, accompanied by the Minister for Education and 583W Employment and the Minister for the Arts, received a presentation from each of the short-listed bidders on 21 September 2000.

§ Mr. Duncan Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement on the reasons for the elimination of each of the unsuccessful bids for the Royal Army Medical College at Millbank; [146884]
(2) if the Royal Army Medical College at Millbank is to be sold to the highest bidder. [146883]

§ Dr. Moonie
[holding answer 23 January 2001]The Ministry of Defence selected the bid which best served the public interest, taking into account the presence of listed buildings on the Millbank site, its prominent location and proximity to Tate Britain.
The guidelines for the disposal of heritage sites and listed buildings give Departments discretion to accept a lower bid where there are non-financial or wider environmental or cultural benefits.