MoD: Improving single living accommodation for service personnel

Public Accounts Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 1 Feb 2021 Closed: 28 Jun 2021 Parliament page
Single Living Accommodation (SLA) is accommodation provided to single and unaccompanied service personnel, normally by means of a Mess or accommodation block. Armed forces surveyi ng s show s just over two in five (42%) service personnel live in SLA during the working week. The MoD states that regular forces … Read more
1 Recommendation
23 Conclusions
1 Report
1 Oral session
2 Letters
1 Event
Activity timeline 6 events
16 Nov
2021
Correspondence
2 Sep
2021
Report published
23 Apr
2021
Report published
16 Mar
2021
Correspondence
25 Feb
2021
Oral evidence
25 Feb
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Wilson Room, Portcullis House
Oral evidence sessions 1 session
25 Feb 2021
View on parliament.uk
Improving single living accommodation for service personnel
Charlie Pate · Ministry of Defence David Brewer · Defence Infrastructure Organisation Lieutenant General James Swift · Ministry of Defence Sir Stephen Lovegrove · Ministry of Defence
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fifty-Fourth Report - Improving single living accommodation for … HC 940 23 Apr 2021 24 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
24 results
2 Conclusion
Fifty-Fourth Report - Improving si…
Although many service personnel live in poor quality Single Living Accommodation and are dissatisfied with...
Although many service personnel live in poor quality Single Living Accommodation and are dissatisfied with their accommodation and with the maintenance and repairs service, the Department appeared surprisingly complacent about resolving this long-term issue. There is considerable variability in the … Read more
Government Response
agree with the conclusion that DHSC and NHS Digital took too long to identify all clinically extremely vulnerable people. Given the data available at the time, and the novelty of … Read more
HM Treasury
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3 Conclusion
Fifty-Fourth Report - Improving si…
The lack of a minimum standard for Single Living Accommodation means the Department has no...
The lack of a minimum standard for Single Living Accommodation means the Department has no baseline against which to make investment decisions, or to demonstrate progress towards establishing an estate fit for the 21st century. Unlike for its Service Family … Read more
Government Response
agree with the conclusion that there was huge local variation. NHS Digital and DHSC have already written to the Committee with an initial analysis of the local variation in growth … Read more
HM Treasury
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4 Conclusion
Fifty-Fourth Report - Improving si…
The Department’s lamentable failure to implement a Single Living Accommodation Management Information System (SLAMIS) over...
The Department’s lamentable failure to implement a Single Living Accommodation Management Information System (SLAMIS) over the past eight years means it is unable to manage its Single Living Accommodation efficiently. Project SLAMIS was initiated in 2013 to provide basic information … Read more
Government Response
agree with the conclusion that a centrally directed system was chosen because of a lack of confidence in local authorities. Councils are crucial partners in delivery of shielding support to … Read more
HM Treasury
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5 Recommendation
Fifty-Fourth Report - Improving si…
Management of Single Living Accommodation has long suffered from a lack of coordination, ownership and...
Management of Single Living Accommodation has long suffered from a lack of coordination, ownership and strategic grip. Currently no single person has responsibility for Single Living Accommodation, and there are many different stakeholders involved, with some groups having been set … Read more
HM Treasury
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6 Conclusion
Fifty-Fourth Report - Improving si…
We are concerned that, although Commands have plans to improve Single Living Accommodation, this will...
We are concerned that, although Commands have plans to improve Single Living Accommodation, this will only address the worst problems, and available funding may be used to meet other demands. The Commands have set out plans to spend a total … Read more
Government Response
2021. This is the Government’s response to the Committee’s report. Relevant reports • NAO report: management of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund – Session 2019-21 (HC 1130) • PAC report: … Read more
HM Treasury
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1 Conclusion
Fifty-Fourth Report - Improving si…
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence...
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence from the Ministry of Defence (the Department) about Single Living Accommodation for service personnel.1
Government Response
1: PAC conclusion: The Department has neglected Single Living Accommodation for many years and has not given it anything like the priority that it has deserved, despite the clear link … Read more
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7 Conclusion
Fifty-Fourth Report - Improving si…
The standard of Single Living Accommodation is very variable, and the Department agreed that it...
The standard of Single Living Accommodation is very variable, and the Department agreed that it is not acceptable that more than one-third of personnel in Single Living Accommodation are living in the lowest-grade accommodation (Grade 4 or below).17 We asked … Read more
Government Response
2.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: December 2021 2.2 The DAS will set the strategic direction for the department’s accommodation provision and approach to standards, … Read more
HM Treasury
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8 Conclusion
Fifty-Fourth Report - Improving si…
We were concerned as to whether all the poorest quality accommodation meets minimum health and...
We were concerned as to whether all the poorest quality accommodation meets minimum health and safety standards and asked why, if the accommodation used by 3% of personnel (2,388 individuals) was so poor that no rental charge was applied, it … Read more
Government Response
3.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: December 2021 3.2 The department commits to setting and publishing a clear minimum standard for the condition of SLA … Read more
HM Treasury
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9 Conclusion
Fifty-Fourth Report - Improving si…
While the Department told us that it is tremendously important that personnel feel valued for...
While the Department told us that it is tremendously important that personnel feel valued for what they are doing, we pointed out that some are living with problems with basic facilities including heating and hot water. The Department agreed that … Read more
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10 Conclusion
Fifty-Fourth Report - Improving si…
We enquired as to what the Department is doing in response to the decline in...
We enquired as to what the Department is doing in response to the decline in levels of satisfaction reported in the 2020 Armed Forces Continuous Attitude Survey (AFCAS). This showed that 49% of service personnel living in Single Living Accommodation … Read more
Government Response
2.4 The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation. 2.5 Understanding service personnel’s views is important for future work and planning around SLA and a minimum standard for the condition of … Read more
HM Treasury
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11 Conclusion
Fifty-Fourth Report - Improving si…
Over the past six years (from 2015 to 2020) there has been a decrease in...
Over the past six years (from 2015 to 2020) there has been a decrease in satisfaction with both the response to requests for maintenance and repairs work for Single Living Accommodation, and the quality of that work.31 Nevertheless, the Department … Read more
Government Response
2.7 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation Target implementation date: December 2021 2.8 Whilst the department commits to gathering Service personnel views on SLA, the specifics of how this … Read more
HM Treasury
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12 Conclusion
Fifty-Fourth Report - Improving si…
We questioned why in contrast to properties rented from other providers such as local authorities,...
We questioned why in contrast to properties rented from other providers such as local authorities, housing associations or private landlords, where there is a legally required standard for the accommodation, there is no specified standard for Single Living Accommodation. This … Read more
Government Response
2: PAC conclusion: Although many service personnel live in poor quality Single Living Accommodation and are dissatisfied with their accommodation and with the maintenance and repairs service, the Department appeared … Read more
HM Treasury
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13 Conclusion
Fifty-Fourth Report - Improving si…
The Department acknowledged that expectations of service personnel are changing, and that what they needed...
The Department acknowledged that expectations of service personnel are changing, and that what they needed at different points of their career varied.39 We are aware, for example, that there are concerns about poor or expensive wi-fi, and a lack of … Read more
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14 Conclusion
Fifty-Fourth Report - Improving si…
We raised concerns that, given sustainability targets, in two or three years the Department will...
We raised concerns that, given sustainability targets, in two or three years the Department will have to retrofit much relatively new accommodation. It told us that it is running a number of low-carbon trials across Single Living Accommodation properties and … Read more
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15 Conclusion
Fifty-Fourth Report - Improving si…
There is no single source of data on Single Living Accommodation, and the Department lacks...
There is no single source of data on Single Living Accommodation, and the Department lacks central data on its location, condition and usage.43 The Department said it recognises that its ability to track who is using what accommodation is poor … Read more
Government Response
4.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: October 2021 4.2 The department will report in October 2021 on the progress with delivering Single Living Accommodation Management … Read more
HM Treasury
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16 Conclusion
Fifty-Fourth Report - Improving si…
Given the Department stated it is looking for a simple solution, we questioned why, after...
Given the Department stated it is looking for a simple solution, we questioned why, after eight years of development, SLAMIS was not yet in service. The Department acknowledged the poor performance and that the SLAMIS project that commenced in 2013 … Read more
Government Response
4: PAC conclusion: The Department’s lamentable failure to implement a Single Living Accommodation Management Information System (SLAMIS) over the past eight years means it is unable to manage its Single … Read more
HM Treasury
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17 Conclusion
Fifty-Fourth Report - Improving si…
Data from the last snapshot on 26 February 2020, showed a quarter of Single Living...
Data from the last snapshot on 26 February 2020, showed a quarter of Single Living Accommodation is unoccupied, and one-fifth of sites had more than 40% of Single Living Accommodation bed space unused.50 The Department agreed that a substantial amount … Read more
HM Treasury
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18 Conclusion
Fifty-Fourth Report - Improving si…
The management of Single Living Accommodation encompasses both people and infrastructure, and involves multiple stakeholders...
The management of Single Living Accommodation encompasses both people and infrastructure, and involves multiple stakeholders across defence. There is no overarching strategy for Single Living Accommodation setting out what the Department wishes to achieve or bringing together the aims of … Read more
Government Response
5: PAC conclusion: Management of Single Living Accommodation has long suffered from a lack of coordination, ownership and strategic grip. 5: PAC recommendation: The Department should review and simplify the … Read more
HM Treasury
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19 Conclusion
Fifty-Fourth Report - Improving si…
Since the delegation of infrastructure budgets in 2018, each Command has developed its own plans...
Since the delegation of infrastructure budgets in 2018, each Command has developed its own plans tailored to its specific needs and priority areas, and it has set individual targets to reduce poor-quality Single Living Accommodation.57 We questioned the lack of … Read more
HM Treasury
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20 Conclusion
Fifty-Fourth Report - Improving si…
Improvements to Single Living Accommodation cannot be carried out in isolation because they overlap with...
Improvements to Single Living Accommodation cannot be carried out in isolation because they overlap with wider departmental programmes such as the Defence Estate Optimisation (DEO) Portfolio (to create an estate of a more appropriate size and better quality) and the … Read more
HM Treasury
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21 Conclusion
Fifty-Fourth Report - Improving si…
The Department explained that under the delegated responsibilities for infrastructure, including Single Living Accommodation, the...
The Department explained that under the delegated responsibilities for infrastructure, including Single Living Accommodation, the Commands will decide how much to spend in this area, alongside other areas within their remit. In the 2020 Annual Budget Cycle, the Commands set … Read more
HM Treasury
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22 Conclusion
Fifty-Fourth Report - Improving si…
The funds for improving Single Living Accommodation are not ring-fenced.
The funds for improving Single Living Accommodation are not ring-fenced. While the Department stressed that Single Living Accommodation was a very high priority in Defence, it also stated there are other priorities.66 It faces wider affordability challenges, and the equipment … Read more
HM Treasury
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23 Conclusion
Fifty-Fourth Report - Improving si…
The Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy was delayed until March 2021,...
The Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy was delayed until March 2021, but in November 2020 the government announced it would provide an additional £16.5 billion of defence funding over the next four years.70 The Department said … Read more
Government Response
6: PAC conclusion: We are concerned that, although Commands have plans to improve Single Living Accommodation, this will only address the worst problems, and available funding may be used to … Read more
HM Treasury
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24 Conclusion
Fifty-Fourth Report - Improving si…
We asked for an update on the renegotiation of rents for service family accommodation leased...
We asked for an update on the renegotiation of rents for service family accommodation leased from Annington Property Limited, on which the Committee last reported in 2019.75 The Department currently benefits from a 58% reduction in the market rent that … Read more
HM Treasury
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Correspondence 2 letters
16 Nov 2021 Correspondence from David Williams, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, re update on improving single living accommodation for personnel, dated 2 November 2021
Parliament page
16 Mar 2021 Correspondence from Sir Stephen Lovegrove KCB, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, re Improving single living accommodation for service personnel PAC hearing 25 February 2021, dated 11 March 2021
Parliament page