HC Deb 29 January 2002 vol 379 cc238-9W
Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her estimate is of the(a) annual cost and (b) total value of the empty properties owned by (i) her Department, (ii) her agencies and (iii) other public bodies for which she has had responsibility in each of the last four years. [30081]

Mr. Morley

The information requested is set out in the tables. As the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs was created on 8 June 2001, this relates to the former Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The Department does not hold centrally information about properties occupied by non-departmental public bodies.

Under Treasury guidelines, Departments have up to three years or more to dispose of surplus properties to ensure that the best possible price is obtained. The values of some empty properties will, therefore, be included in more than one of the total annual values shown.

Estimated annual cost1 of empty core DEFRA properties
£ million
2000–01 1.47
1999–2000 0.88
1998–99 3.26
1997–98 2.26
1 Includes rent or capital charge, service charges and rates, plus estimated maintenance, facilities management, and marketing costs based on average property values.
Estimated total value1 of empty core DEFRA properties
£ million
2000–01 10.6
1999–2000 9.8
1998–99 12.5
1997–98 16.0
1 Based on Valuation Office Agency capital valuation or actual sale price
Estimated annual cost1 of empty DEFRA executive agency properties
£ million
2000–01 0.15
1999–2000 0.21
1998–99 0.25
1997–98 0.00
1 Includes rent or capital charge, service charges and rates, plus estimated maintenance, facilities management, and marketing costs based on average property values.
Estimated total value1 of empty DEFRA executive agency properties
£ million
2000–01 2.00
1999–2000 13.4
1998–99 1.45
1997–98 1.45
1 Based on Valuation Office Agency capital valuation or actual sale price