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<p>Since the start of the Spending Review (SR10) the size of the Ministry of Justice
(MoJ) estate has reduced by over 600 properties to nearly 1,500 properties. As a result,
lower business as usual costs have been achieved. We have removed nearly 50% of the
administrative estate from our portfolio over the last four years. We have already
reduced 180 to 98 administrative properties in England and Wales including from 18
to 4 administrative properties in London, saving over £34m a year.</p><p> </p><p>As
part of the Government’s Strategic Land and Property Review, Departments have already
committed to reforms expected to release land worth £3.5 billion between 2015 and
2020, with a further £1.5 billion expected to be identified following the outcome
of operational reviews.</p><p> </p><p>The Ministry of Justice continues to work with
the Government Property Unit to ensure that the Ministry of Justice estate operates
in an efficient manner and represents value for money.</p><p> </p><p>I refer my hon.
Friend to the latest State of the Estate Report (SofTE) which reports annually on
progress made during the year in improving the efficiency of the Government’s Civil
Estate. This is available online at:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/state-of-the-estate"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/state-of-the-estate</a></p><p>
</p><p>The latest space savings mean that the estate is 2 million sq m smaller since
January 2010, the result of consistent efforts by departments to reduce their property
holdings and increase the efficiency of the space they occupy</p><p> </p><p>This reduction
in the size of the Estate has been achieved through extensive co-operation between
departments and agencies in engaging with place-based strategies, as well as the continuing
impact of the National Property Controls (NPCs).</p><p> </p><p>NPCs include a moratorium
on the acquisition of new properties and a presumption that leases will be surrendered
at the earliest contractual opportunity. Exemptions are allowed only with Cabinet
Office approval if they meet strict value or space-saving criteria.</p><p> </p>
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