Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Attorney General, what proportion of the office space owned or leased by the Law Officers' Departments is not in regular use; what the total (a) rental and (b) retail value is of all such office space; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the Law Officers' Departments most recent departmental real estate valuation.

It would not be in the public interest to disclose any specific retail or real estate valuation information, as this information is commercially sensitive and any disclosure could adversely affect the Government’s future ability to negotiate efficiencies and achieve value for money to the taxpayer.

The Crown Prosecution Service has a total owned and leased estate of 81,085 sq metres. Of that estate 9.3% is currently not in regular use. The total rental cost of those sites not in regular use is £961,235 (ex VAT).

The proportion of the office space owned or leased by The Government Legal Department (GLD) which is not in regular use comprises 9% of the total estate. The rental value of all unused office space is £248,680.69.

Both departments keep their estates under regular review and expect to have significantly reduced the proportion of office space which is not in regular use by December 2016.

The remaining Law Officers’ Departments do not own or lease any property which is not in regular use.