HC Deb 16 March 2004 vol 419 cc197-8W
Mr. Laws

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the(a) land and (b) buildings in central London owned by (i) his Department, (ii) its agencies and (iii) the UK armed forces, giving the value in each case. [156709]

Mr. Caplin

The National Asset Register, (NAR), published by HM Treasury, provides a comprehensive list and valuation of all of the assets owned by every Government department and their sponsored bodies. A copy of the 2001 NAR has been placed in the Library of the House and can be accessed on the HM Treasury website at http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk. It should be noted that these are asset valuations and do not represent the disposal value of these assets.

In central London the MoD, (including Agencies and Service personnel), holds a number of major properties. Those which have a realisable value to the Department have been valued and included in the NAR.

Such properties are listed in the table with the NAR values shown comprising the sum of the land value and the value of the various buildings. Service Families Accommodation and properties used solely by Visiting Forces and Reserve Forces have been excluded.

Property Location Use NAR Value £
Chelsea Barracks Chelsea Barracks 58,530,000
DCSA St Vincent Whitehall Communications 14,918,000
Great Scotland Yard Whitehall Offices 2,557,000
Horse Guards Whitehall Barracks 6,130,000
Hyde Park Barracks Knightsbridge Barracks 72,170,000
Main Building Whitehall Offices 65,909,000
Northumberland House Whitehall Offices 11,736,000
Old War Office Whitehall Offices 63,370,000
RCDS Seaford House Westminster College 1,667,000
Regents Park Barracks Regents Park Barracks 29,190,000
Wellington Barracks Petty France Barracks 106,210,000

Following the Chief Secretary's letter of 10 September, there is an automatic presumption against locating new and reconstituted activity in London and the South-East and a moratorium against all Government Departments renewing, creating new leases or purchasing freehold property for office-based activities over 2000 sq. m. The Lyons Review reported to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 15 March.