Written question asked by Vincent Cable (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 22 November 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 24 November 2005. It was answered by Jim Fitzpatrick (Labour) on Monday, 19 December 2005 on behalf of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Departmental Estate

Question: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which buildings and sites used by his Department and related agencies (a) have ceased to be used in the last year and (b) will be closed under current plans for relocation.

Answer: The information requested is as follows:(a) Since November 2004 the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has ceased to use offices on part 16th, entire 17th, and entire 18th floors of Portland House, Victoria. They were vacated in June 2005.The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is responsible for three executive agencies, the Planning Inspectorate at Temple Quays, Bristol, the Fire Service College at Moreton-in-Marsh, and the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in Westminster. None of the executive agencies has ceased the use of any buildings or sites in the last year.(b) The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has current plans to relocate Headquarters staff from its 4th and 5th floor offices at Allington Towers by April 2008. These offices will be closed and handed back to the leaseholder, the Home Office.The Office of the Deputy Prime Minster has served Notice on behalf of the First Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister to terminate the lease of industrial buildings used by the Fire and Rescue Service Directorate at Marchington, Staffordshire. The buildings will be closed and vacated by the end of June 2006 at the latest. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Civil Resilience Directorate occupies part of the Marchington buildings and is to be relocated to alternative leased premises.There are no current plans to relocate the three executive agencies.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 440 c2557-8W; 31754
Session: 2005-06
Subjects: Closures Buildings Government departments Location Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk