Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many vacant houses and flats are owned by government departments or agencies; and what plans they have either to bring them into use or to redevelop their sites.

The Government Property Unit in the Cabinet Office is working with departments to reduce vacant space across the estate.

Since May 2010, we have reduced our Estate by 2 million square metres, saving over £625 million in running costs and generating £1.4 billion in capital receipts. On 31st March 2014 only 2.4% (204,327 sq m) of space was vacant across the mandated Civil Estate, well below the reported national average of 8.8%.

Information on the number of vacant houses and flats owned by departments or their agencies is not held centrally.