Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information she holds on the proportion of the Benton Park View site in Newcastle upon Tyne that is used by her Department.

DWP currently occupy an area of 6058sqm over 7 buildings and floors in Benton Park View, and an additional 5758 sqm on a temporary occupation until 31st March 2022 required as part of the departments covid response. As of 1st April 2022, the main occupation will revert to 6058sqm.

These occupations are under the intergovernmental arrangements for sharing Crown Estates, known as a Memorandum of Terms Occupation (MOTO) and that document is held by DWP’s Estates function. The MOTO is reflective of the guidance contained in the Civil Estates Occupancy Guide (CEOA) where two Crown Bodies share space and details the terms and obligations between those two Crown Bodies.

At this site, HMRC are DWP’s landlord and the terms and obligations for the head lease agreement and all other space outside of DWP’s demised space, remain with HMRC to meet the obligations of their lease requirements.