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Nick Harvey MPStanding up for North Devon since 1992 |
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MoD WASTING MILLIONS ON PRIVATE HOUSING
December 21, 2008 11:30 AM
The Ministry of Defence is wasting millions renting homes in London despite having hundreds of currently empty properties in the city, according to new research by the Liberal Democrats.
In 2008, the MoD held 648 empty homes in London on long-term rents from Annington Homes, but was still spending around £16.6m a year renting 1100 private properties or 'single accommodation' for individual personnel in London.
The Ministry also spends around £290,000 renting 11 private homes for service families in London - mostly top brass. The most expensive is £4,200 per calendar month.
Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary, Nick Harvey said: "This scandalous waste of money further cements the MoD's reputation for incompetence.
"With the country in the grip of a recession, it is vital that all Government departments are doing everything they can to ensure their money is spent where it is really needed.
"With so many of our troops still having to make do with shoddy, substandard accommodation, it is scandalous that the MoD is throwing away money on what appear to be superior private properties for the top brass.
"The MoD must get its act together. Throwing taxpayers' money into a black hole while our frontline troops have to go without vital equipment and decent accommodation is completely unacceptable."
ENDS
Notes to editors
1. According to the MoD there were 648 empty service family homes in London as of 26 March 2008 (listed by parish in the attached document). These properties are owned by the private company Annington Homes and long-term rented by the MoD.
19 May 2008: Column 9W
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many empty properties his Department owns, broken down by (a) region and (b) constituency. [197099]
Derek Twigg: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) keeps its estate of around 240,000 under continual review to ensure that it is no larger than is required for defence purposes. Details of all MOD properties that are currently void (not in use for their intended purpose) are not centrally available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Void stock includes properties being held for planned moves of Service Units, sale or release, modernisation or demolition.
Records are held of void Service Family Accommodation properties (SFA) in Great Britain (GB). The majority of SFA in England and Wales are owned by Annington Homes Ltd and leased to this Department until we no longer require them.
It is a key departmental priority to reduce the number of voids and work is in hand to do this. Since March 2007, the number of void SFA properties worldwide has reduced from 13,338 to some 12,240.
Although records of void SFA are not held by constituency, they are listed by local parish. I have placed the list of void properties by local parish in the Library of the House.
2. Individual housing: 'Substitute Service Families Accommodation'
London N
31
35,124
London NW
59
85,210
London SW
474
615,894
London W
83
95,021
London WC
1
1,000
London SE
202
234,305
London E
244
308,256
London EC
8
9,891
Total Properties: 1102
Total pcm: £1,384,701
Total per year: £16,616,412
Most expensive property is £3000 per month.
Family housing: "Substitute Service Families Accommodation"
London EC
1
1,100
London NW
1
1,820
London SE
2
4,682
London SW
6
14,194
London W
1
2,433
Properties: 11
Total pcm £24,229
Total per year: £290, 748
£2202 pcm.
Most expensive property is £4,200 per month.
The information on the 50 most expensive rented properties for families and individuals can be found at:
<<a href="http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080311/text/80311w0018.htm#080311133003683">http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080311/text/80311w0018.htm#080311133003683>
Figures showing the amount spent in total on private accommodation in each area can be found at: <<a href="http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm071217/text/71217w0024.htm#0712184005358">http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm071217/text/71217w0024.htm#0712184005358>
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