My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Kevan Jones) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

The Stewardship Report on the Defence Estate 2007-08 will be published today.  The publication of the report implements the commitment in the defence estate strategy 2006, In Trust & On Trust, to report annually performance across a range of estate-related strategic aims, and to demonstrate that the department is discharging its obligations properly and acting responsibly in meeting the needs of the Armed Forces.  The report attempts to balance:

describing the substantial investment made in the estate, the successes over the year, the steps being taken to improve the effectiveness of management and the achievement of value for money, with

the commitment to provide an account of our stewardship to external stakeholders.

The report continues to set out the progress against the aims and objectives in the defence estate strategy 2006 and demonstrates how the estate is changing as a result.  Copies will be placed in the Library of the House and on the internet.