Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 22 of his Department's UK Armed Forces Defence Accommodation Strategy, published in October 2022, for what reason the target of no more than 10% of service family accommodation properties being vacant by September 2023 was not met; and whether he has set a new vacancy rate target.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) 10% void rate remains a valid target, however, a revised achievement date of 1 November 2026 was agreed with the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in June 2023.

The Modernised Accommodation Offer (MAO) will significantly increase eligibility and demand for Service Family Accommodation (SFA), which will be satisfied through the use of void SFA. This has changed the planning assumptions on which the original target was set and to dispose of void SFA ahead of MAO would increase reliance on the Private Rental Sector (PRS), creating additional, avoidable long-term costs to the MOD.