MoD’s £34m on empty properties

MINISTRY of Defence chiefs are under fire for paying nearly £33.8million a year in rent on 8,704 empty properties.

MPs were told the MoD has also been spending £4million a year to maintain the houses, some now empty for 27 years.

The figures were revealed by Defence Minister Jeremy Quin in reply to a question from Liberal Democrat defence spokesman Jamie Stone about homes belonging to the Service Family Accommodation (SFA) scheme.

The SFA runs the MoD’s portfolio of around 48,000 houses.

The £33.8million would buy 1,133 NLAW anti-tank missiles, as used by the Ukrainian army to devastating effect.

Mr Stone, who wants the empty homes to accommodate Ukrainian refugees, said: ‘The MoD must resolve this financial mess as an utmost priority. It is ludicrous at a time when our armed forces are being cut.’

The MoD keeps ten per cent of its houses empty at all times so it can move personnel around the country at short notice, but 18 per cent are now empty.