To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 3 July 2007, Official Report, columns 953-4W, on the Army Board: housing, what the reasons are for the increase in the running costs of the housing provided by his Department for members of the Army Board since 1999-2000. (152866)

The changes in the running costs of accommodation associated with the posts of Chief of the General Staff, Commander in Chief Land, Adjutant-General and General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland are due to a combination of factors including:

The use of different houses by subsequent appointment holders.

Scheduled property maintenance.

Periodic reassessment of departmental charging rates, scaling and entitlements for service accommodation.

Differing staff levels (numbers and rank structure) and associated personnel costs.

Price variations for utilities—electricity, gas etc.

General price inflation.

More detailed information on the specific contributions (negative or positive) of individual factors could be undertaken only at disproportionate cost.