Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment she has made of the presence of asbestos at Ashchurch military depot.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Testing has indicated the presence of asbestos contamination in a number of buildings at the Defence Equipment & Support Ashchurch site, resulting in some building closures as a precaution. Personnel working at the site have been informed.
The programme of testing priority buildings is now complete and a number of buildings have been re-opened, allowing some operations to recommence. Testing of individual vehicles continues; this will inform the extent of cleaning required. A remediation programme has been developed to clean affected areas and initial measures have already been implemented. Contingency planning is in place to support defence activities.
Asked by: Lord Beamish (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's report, a Better Defence Estate, published in November 2016, what the annual running costs are of each of the 91 most expensive sites planned for disposal.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The estimated annual running costs for financial year 2016-17 for each of the 91 sites planned for disposal as stated in “A Better Defence Estate” published in November 2016 are shown in the following table:
Site | Running Costs In £ million |
ABERCORN BARRACKS | 0.84 |
DBS FINANCE LIVERPOOL | 2.58 |
RAF MOLESWORTH | 3.03 |
RAF ALCONBURY | 1.46 |
ALDERSHOT DISTRIBUTION OUTLET | 0.25 |
AMPORT HOUSE | 0.51 |
JSCS ASHCHURCH (EAST) | 3.96 |
AZIMGHUR BARRACKS | 3.24 |
RAF BARNHAM | 0.58 |
BRECON BARRACKS | 0.69 |
BEACHLEY BARRACKS | 1.38 |
KINNEGAR LOGISTIC BASE | 0.88 |
BURGOYNE BARRACKS | 0.14 |
CARVER BARRACKS | 2.09 |
CAWDOR BARRACKS | 1.51 |
DSG COLCHESTER | 0.35 |
MOD CALEDONIA | 5.31 |
CHALGROVE AIRFIELD | 0.01 |
DBS CHEADLE HUME | 0.74 |
Chivenor Airfield | 0.21 |
CHIVENOR BARRACKS | 3.93 |
CLARO BARRACKS | 1.48 |
CLIVE BARRACKS | 1.17 |
CLAYTON BARRACKS | 0.04 |
LAND AT COVE | 2.62 |
RAF COLERNE | 0.46 |
COPTHORNE BARRACKS | 0.86 |
CRAIGIEHALL | 1.35 |
COMMANDER AND STAFF TRAINER (NORTH) | 0.16 |
CATTERICK TOWN CENTRE PARCEL | - |
THE ROYAL CITADEL | 1.26 |
CHILWELL STATION | 3.66 |
CAVALRY BARRACKS HOUNSLOW | 1.42 |
DIO ALDERSHOT | 0.22 |
DALE BARRACKS | 1.67 |
DALTON BARRACKS (ABINGDON AIRFIELD) | - |
DALTON BARRACKS | 4.46 |
DIO HEAD OFFICE | 0.77 |
DEVERELL BARRACKS | 0.44 |
DISHFORTH BARRACKS (AIRFIELD) | 2.49 |
FORT BLOCKHOUSE | 4.29 |
SOUTHWICK PARK | 2.70 |
FORTHSIDE STIRLING | 0.50 |
MEADOWFORTH BARRACKS (HQ 51 HIGHLAND BRIGADE) | 0.43 |
DSG FORTHSIDE | 0.45 |
FORT GEORGE | 1.59 |
FULWOOD BARRACKS | 1.91 |
GLENCORSE BARRACKS | 1.67 |
HARDEN BARRACKS (DUCHESS OF KENT PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL) | 0.48 |
HARLEY HILL | - |
BUCKLEY BARRACKS (HULLAVINGTON AIRFIELD) | 1.26 |
BUCKLEY BARRACKS (HULLAVINGTON BARRACKS) | 1.59 |
IMPHAL BARRACKS | 2.81 |
INVICTA PARK BARRACKS | 1.77 |
KNELLER HALL | 0.73 |
JSCS LONGMOOR | 0.62 |
LEIGHTON HOUSE (AOSB Westbury) | 1.01 |
LODGE HILL | 0.15 |
WETHERSFIELD AIRFIELD | 0.13 |
MDPGA WETHERSFIELD | 2.50 |
Middlewick Ranges | 0.06 |
MOAT HOUSE | 0.04 |
ATHENA HOUSE | 0.76 |
NELSON WARDROOM | 1.22 |
NEWTONARDS AIRFIELD | 0.01 |
NORTON MANOR CAMP | 2.23 |
SWANSEA AIRPORT | - |
Old Dalby | 1.35 |
Defence Geographic Centre, Feltham | 2.41 |
PARSONS BARRACKS DONNINGTON | 0.31 |
1300 PARKWAY | 1.36 |
PRINCE WILLIAM OF GLOUCESTER BARRACKS | 2.86 |
QUEEN ELIZABETH BARRACKS | 1.69 |
HENLOW AIRFIELD | 2.73 |
RAF HENLOW Technical Site | 2.24 |
FITZWYGRAM HOUSE (ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS CENTRE) | 0.02 |
REDFORD CAVALRY BARRACKS | 1.58 |
REDFORD INFANTRY BARRACKS | 1.19 |
RAF MILDENHALL | 4.71 |
HALTON AIRFIELD | 0.16 |
CONDOR AIRFIELD | 0.29 |
ST DAVIDS BARRACKS | 0.99 |
SIR JOHN MOORE BARRACKS WINCHESTER | 3.03 |
ROBERTSON BARRACKS | 2.25 |
SOMERSET BARRACKS | 0.12 |
SSG WARRINGTON | 0.05 |
ST GEORGES BARRACKS NORTH LUFFENHAM | 3.81 |
STONEHOUSE BARRACKS | 2.20 |
SENNYBRIDGE TMP COMPOUND | 0.72 |
HMS SULTAN | 7.71 |
TOWTHORPE LINES | 0.23 |
THORNHILL BARRACKS | 0.10 |
TOMLINSON HOUSE | 0.05 |
VAUXHALL BARRACKS | 1.02 |
VENNING BARRACKS | 0.18 |
MOD WOODBRIDGE (Rock Barracks) | 2.74 |
WOOLWICH STATION | 2.65 |
Total | 140 |
Asked by: Madeleine Moon (Labour - Bridgend)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Conditioning report commissioned from Babcock International, dated 3 February 2011, on the approximate costs of repairing his Department's site at Ashchurch; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Philip Dunne
In January 2011, the Defence Support Group (DSG) commissioned a study on behalf of the Ministry of Defence through their existing facilities' management provider, Babcock, to assess the maintenance work required to enable the DSG to safely undertake vehicle and equipment operation from specified buildings on the site at Ashchurch until 2016. The study, submitted in February 2011, estimated that the cost 'to make safe' the site for the five year period would be £2.863 million excluding VAT. The study report was passed to the Defence Infrastructure Organisation and Defence Equipment and Support for the recommendations to be acted upon.
I am unable to place a copy of the document in the Library as it's disclosure would prejudice commercial interests.
Asked by: Madeleine Moon (Labour - Bridgend)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what cost for repairing his Department's site at Ashchurch was estimated in the report commissioned by Babcock International dated 3 February 2011.
Answered by Philip Dunne
In January 2011, the Defence Support Group (DSG) commissioned a study on behalf of the Ministry of Defence through their existing facilities' management provider, Babcock, to assess the maintenance work required to enable the DSG to safely undertake vehicle and equipment operation from specified buildings on the site at Ashchurch until 2016. The study, submitted in February 2011, estimated that the cost 'to make safe' the site for the five year period would be £2.863 million excluding VAT. The study report was passed to the Defence Infrastructure Organisation and Defence Equipment and Support for the recommendations to be acted upon.
I am unable to place a copy of the document in the Library as it's disclosure would prejudice commercial interests.
Asked by: Alison Seabeck (Labour - Plymouth, Moor View)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the study by the Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Logistics Operations) into the railhead at Ashchurch is still pending; and when he expects to receive the report of that study.
Answered by Philip Dunne
In April 2014 the Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Logistics Operations) commissioned a Capability Investigation into future defence rail in order to inform future investment decisions; this included a review of all railheads used by defence. A staff review of the investigation report is currently being completed – it is expected that this review will take up to 90 days to complete.
Asked by: Madeleine Moon (Labour - Bridgend)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Ashchurch relocation assessment study along with details of its impact assessment and housing start number; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Anna Soubry
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is still undertaking studies into the future of the site at MOD Ashchurch. Once all functions currently undertaken at MOD Ashchurch have been relocated to other facilities, appropriate supporting documentation will be placed in the Library of the House.
Asked by: Alison Seabeck (Labour - Plymouth, Moor View)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has included its cost estimate for the future delivery of controlled humidity environment capability the cost of (a) making the workforce redundant and (b) the cost of recruiting and training staff for the new site.
Answered by Anna Soubry
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is still undertaking studies into the future of the site at MOD Ashchurch. Once all functions currently undertaken at MOD Ashchurch have been relocated to other facilities, appropriate supporting documentation will be placed in the Library of the House.
Asked by: Alison Seabeck (Labour - Plymouth, Moor View)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the housing targets within the Land Release Programme of not selling DSG Ashchurch under the Controlled Humidity Environment Capability and related projects programme.
Answered by Philip Dunne
If Ashchurch was not sold, the Ministry of Defence would lose at least 2,100 housing units from its land release target.
Asked by: Madeleine Moon (Labour - Bridgend)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place a copy of all conditioning reports on the approximate costs of repairing Ashchurch subsequent to that commissioned from Babcock dated 3 February 2011 in the Library; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Philip Dunne
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 20 October 2014 to Questions UIN 210596 and UIN 210745, which can be found at the following link: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-questions-answers/?page=1&max=20&questiontype=AllQuestions&house=commons%2clords&uin=210596
Asked by: Madeleine Moon (Labour - Bridgend)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place copies of all reviews carried out by his Department into the phased site closure of MoD Ashchurch in the Library; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Anna Soubry
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is still undertaking studies into the future of the site at MOD Ashchurch. Once all functions currently undertaken at MOD Ashchurch have been relocated to other facilities, appropriate supporting documentation will be placed in the Library of the House.