HC Deb 15 October 2001 vol 372 cc976-7W
Ms Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what(a) building and (b) refurbishment projects are planned by his Department in (i) the current year and (ii) the next financial year; and what the costs will be of each project. [6584]

Mr. MacShane

I list the projects, some contractually committed, and others planned to start (budget permitting), during financial years 2001–02 and 2002–03.

I must caution however, that it is almost certain that due to changing priorities and budget availability, the timing of some of the planned projects may slip and that some may even have to be postponed indefinitely.

A baseline capital budget of £32 million is available in each of these two financial years to fund the listed projects. In addition to this figure, and in accordance with an asset recycling agreement with the Treasury, the funding of many of the listed projects is dependent on the capital realised through the sale of existing properties.

Estate strategy unit: contractually committed projects over £1 million
Post Project Background Current total estimated cost £K
Accra Build new visa office Visa demand increase 3,330
Beirut Fit out new leased office Present office unsatisfactory; relocation required 1.780
Buenos Aires Residence—services renewal and consequential repairs Need 3,140
Dar es Salaam New offices Present office unsatisfactory—security 7,200
Lima New offices ingoing works Present office unsafe in earthquake zone 1,400
Los Angeles Fit out new office Moving to smaller, more efficient offices 1,080
Moscow Residence conversion of two wings to provide staff accommodation Spend to save 2,390
Sofia Fit out leased office Former office unsatisfactory, Expansion—EU/NATO applicant 1,860
Tirana Extension of office Expansion of mission 1,890
Washington Office replacement windows Existing windows now 40+ years old and worn out 2,820
Yerevan New offices Existing leased offices inadequate for permanent occupation 2,940
Total 29,830

Estate strategy unit: contractually committed projects over £1 million—planned
Post Project Background Planned start
Baku New leased office and residence ingoing work Expansion of the post FY 2001–02
Bucharest New residence ingoing works Replacement of unsatisfactory least d residence FY 2001–02
Cairo New visa office Replacement of structurally unsound and unsuitable building FY 2001–02
Caracas Fitting out new office suite Existing building no longer suitable FY 2002–02
Doha New compound—move to diplomatic enclave Replacement of three existing unsatisfactory offices and residence FY 2002–03
Dubai Build six staff houses in compound Spend to save FY 2001–02
Dublin Conversion and fitting out new residence Enabled sale of existing residence and valuable grounds Spend to save FY 2001–02
Dublin Build senior staff houses Spend to save FY 2002–03
Islamabad New visa office Needed to handle large increase in visa demand FY 2002–03
Istanbul Pera House major repairs Fire damage FY 2001–02
Kampala Build new office Replacement of insecure 1960s building FY 2002–03
Kiev Reconfigure office To accommodate expansion FY 2002–03
Lagos Junior staff housing Spend to save FY 2002–03
Madras Provide new offices in compound Visa demand increasing and replacement of unsound building FY 2002–03
Nairobi Build new visa office including site purchase Visa demand increase FY 2002–03
Rabat Purchase site and build new office Replacement of undersized 1970s leased building FY 2002–03
St. Petersburg Convert top floor of office to residence Utilising surplus office space to enable all other staff to be housed in existing residential block FY 2002–03
Tbilisi Fit out new office To replace unsatisfactory office in an hotel building FY 2002–03
Tunis Residence refurbishment Essential renewal of building services FY 2002–03
Vilnius Residence ingoings Expansion-EU/NATO applicant. New residence releases space for office expansion FY 2001–02