§ Mr. WyattTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans his Department has to sell the Consular General's house in San Francisco; what the Estates Department's conclusion was on the sale of the Consular General's house in San Francisco following their visit there in February; and how much the visit of the Estates Department to San Francisco cost the Department. [82530]
§ Mr. RammellWe have yet to identify an alternative house for the Consul General in San Francisco. An FCO survey team visited the Post in March and viewed 12 possible properties for purchase. None was suitable. The present house will only be sold when an alternative is found which meets the operational requirements of the Post and gives value for money to the taxpayer.
The survey team also reviewed the suitability of the present offices and looked at a possible alternative property. The associated travel costs of the visit were approximately 17,000.