Rennie: MoD wasting millions on thousands of empty homes

3.59.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 21st Oct 2008

9,000 MoD houses are standing empty despite a pressing need for decent homes among forces families, ministers have admitted.

Figures obtained by Liberal Democrat Defence Spokesperson Willie Rennie have revealed that the Government is wasting millions of pounds renting properties which are remaining unused for months or even years at a time.

The majority of the homes are being rented back from a private company, Annington homes, to which the Government previously sold much of its military housing stock, despite the MoD’s apparent inability to make effective use of them.

Mr Rennie attacked the MoD’s ‘incompetence’ at a time when forces personnel are risking their lives overseas, adding: “It is outrageous that the MoD is wasting millions of pounds renting empty properties while the men and women of our armed forces are still faced with a lack of decent homes.”

He also called for homes which are not needed for defence personnel to be released to local authorities in order to meet demand for local housing. “The current lack of housing is nothing short of scandalous. We need more joined-up working between sectors if are to correct this worrying trend,” he said.