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 disclosed 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 said: ‘Over recent years we have reduced the number of vacant properties and continue to do so.

‘We manage 17,000 service family moves every year, so we must retain vacant homes for flexibility and to allow us to conduct maintenance.’