Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department spent on rent for the Jobcentre Plus estate in 2013-14.

The Department for Work and Pensions occupies the majority of its estate under a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) known as the PRIME Contract. This is in place until 31^st March 2018.

Under this PFI, which was set up in 1998, the Department leases back fully serviced accommodation from its private sector partner Telereal Trillium. The Department pays an inclusive unitary price for the space occupied which includes the total cost of the rent and 13 Facilities Management services. The 'Property Component’ element which covers rent and building management charges (as an all-inclusive cost) was £104m for 2013/14.