§ Mr. ViggersTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultations there were between the MoD and the Home Office prior to the announcement by the latter of its interest in developing asylum facilities at Daedalus. [98626]
§ Dr. MoonieSince November 2002 there has been a variety of contact between the Home Office and the Ministry of Defence about the Daedalus property.
The Home Office contacted Defence Estates in late November 2002 requesting details of sites that might be available for an inter-governmental transfer to the Home Office.
In December 2002, the Home Office requested information, together with a site plan, in regard to an area of the Daedalus property, which MOD were considering for potential future disposal. Home Office representatives visited the site on 22 January 2003 and subsequently indicated that a portion of the site was could be of interest to them. My Home Office colleague, Beverly Hughes MP, wrote to me on 10 February 2003 to say that the Daedalus site was potentially suitable for an asylum accommodation centre for up to 400 single men and that the Home Office intended to make an announcement to this effect on February 11.