Defence: Expenditure

Defence written question – answered at on 8 February 2012.

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Photo of Jim Murphy Jim Murphy Shadow Secretary of State for Defence

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much (a) his Department, (b) the Chief of the Defence Staff, (c) the Chief of the General Staff, (d) the Chief of the Air Staff, (e) the First Sea Lord, (f) the Adjutant General, (g) the Commander in Chief Land General, (h) the General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland and (i) the General Officer Commanding London District spent on (i) staff, (ii) rent, (iii) utilities and (iv) maintenance in the latest period for which figures are available.

Photo of Philip Hammond Philip Hammond The Secretary of State for Defence

holding answer 10 January 2012

Under previous arrangements, Official Service Residences (OSRs) were provided for senior officers in certain posts which required them to undertake official hospitality for Defence purposes. As announced by the Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans, my right hon. Friend Mr Robathan, on 12 December 2011, Hansard, column 63WS, as part of our plans to tackle the deficit this Government inherited, these arrangements have now been discontinued and a new Domestic Assistance policy will realise savings of at least £3 million per year from April 2012.

Figures for expenditure on Official Service Residences in the financial year 2010-11 are currently being finalised. For the financial year 2009-10 the costs associated with the properties occupied by these senior officers are set out in the following table. The Adjutant-General has not been included as he did not occupy an Official Service Residence during the period. It should be emphasised that responsibility for decisions on expenditure relating to these properties lies with the Ministry of Defence, and not with the officers who occupied them at the time, or the current occupants.

£
Post Household staff Rent Utilitiesl (1) Planned maintenance
Chief of the Defence Staff 128,000 17,000 450
1st Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff 161,000 18,000 520
Chief of the General Staff 161,000 (2)108,000 0
Chief of the Air Staff 97,000 49,000 250
Commander in Chief Land 17,600 18,000 440
General Officer Commanding London District 102,000 16,000 136,000
General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland 80,000 9,000 3,500 6,000
(1) Expenditure relating to utilities for this financial year is not held centrally for the majority of properties. (2 )This property is part of the Crown Estate and a grant in aid is payable.

Expenditure relating to Official Service Residences was kept under close scrutiny and when it was practical to do so, staff were utilised from other residences in support of a function to maximise the use of resources. Civilian staff were retained unless the use of Service personnel was more appropriate for security reasons.

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