Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his oral contribution of 20 December 2022, Official Report, column 143, how many armed forces personnel are housed in accommodation which does not meet the Government’s Decent Homes Standard.

96% of Ministry of Defence Service Family Accommodation (SFA) meet or exceed the Government’s Decent Homes Standard. That amounts to almost 46,000 homes.

It is Defence Infrastucture Organisation accommodation policy that no family should be moved into a home that is below the Decent Homes standard. In addition, such accommodation is required to meet statutory and mandatory housing safety requirements.

As of 1 March 2023, 585 occupied SFA which met the standard at the point of allocation have since fallen below the Decent Homes standard. All are structurally safe and sound.

Works are being planned at pace to return this housing to the appropriate standard.