Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will review her departmental estate in order to reduce costs; and if she will make a statement.

My Department has accommodation at three locations:-

1 Horse Guards Road, London, Hillsborough Castle (Co. Down), and Stormont House, Belfast.

The London office relocated from 11 Millbank to 1 Horse Guards Road in February 2013. This move enabled the Department to secure significant savings of just under £1m per annum. In July 2014, the Northern Ireland Office’s (NIO) footprint within 1 Horse Guards was further reduced which will create an additional annual saving of approximately £58,000.

On 1 April 2014, my Department transferred responsibility for the management and day to day running of Hillsborough Castle, whilst retaining accommodation and an office for Ministers, to the charity Historic Royal Palaces. This new arrangement will achieve significant savings for the NIO, with the added benefit of enabling the Castle to become fully open to the people of Northern Ireland and visitors from abroad.

My Department will continue to keep under review potential options to make further savings at all three of its locations.