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Written question asked by Catherine McKinnell (Labour) on Thursday, 2 July 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 7 July 2026 (named day). It was answered by Luke Pollard (Labour) on Thursday, 9 July 2026 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Armed Forces: Housing

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what percentage of a) new build and b) repaired old military homes, have been constructed using timber since the publication of the Defence Housing Strategy in December 2025, and whether his Department is considering strengthening the duty to 'have consideration' to the use of timber for construction as part of the overall strategy.

Answer

Since the publication of the Defence Housing Strategy in November 2025, the Department has not purchased any new build Service Family Accommodation (SFA) of timber frame construction. In relation to the repair or refurbishment of SFA, the Department is in the early stages of the renovation programme and most of the existing military housing stock is predominately solid wall or brick and block construction.

Decisions on the materials used in future Defence housing developments and major refurbishments will continue to be taken on a case-by-case basis, balancing factors including safety, performance, sustainability, value for money and operational requirements.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
15329
Session
2026-27
Subjects
Armed forces Housing Timber
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk