Departmental Estate

Mrs. Spelman
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what payment her Department plans to make to the Cabinet Office for her Department’s use of the Ripley Building in (a) 2005-06, (b) 2006-07 and (c) 2007-08.

Angela E. Smith
Communities and Local Government occupied part of 26 Whitehall during the whole of the financial year 2005-06, and from 1 April 2006 until 31 October 2006. The payment made to the Cabinet Office for 2005-06 was £2,125,000 and for 2006-07 was £908,434. No payments are expected to be made for 2007-08, as Communities and Local Government is not making use of 26 Whitehall.

The £908,434 also reflects a reduction in the space occupied during the period 1 April to 31 October 2006.