Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Bellingham and Robert Halfon

Wednesday 15th June 2016 Commons Chamber

[Sir Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk) (Con)]

1. What progress his Department is making on the creation of a more modern and efficient government estate.

[The Minister without Portfolio (Robert Halfon)]

My hon. Friend will be pleased to know that since 2015 the Government estate strategy has ensured that running costs have fallen by £750 million. We have raised some £1.8 billion in council receipts and reduced the estate size by nearly a quarter. This is a huge achievement and in terms of space it makes the UK Government one of the most efficient organisations in the world.

[Sir Henry Bellingham]

I thank the Minister for that reply and congratulate him and his team on the work they have done. Given that the estate has been reduced by nearly a quarter since 2010, is it not crucial that as much of this land as possible is used for new housing, especially given that quite a bit of it is going to be brownfield?

[Robert Halfon]

My hon. Friend, as so often, hits the nail on the head. A huge Government programme has ensured that available public sector land is used to build more houses for our country.