19 Accepted

We have reported several times before about problems with land disposals programmes.

Conclusion
We have reported several times before about problems with land disposals programmes. For example, in 2021, we commented on the slow progress that the Ministry of Defence was making reducing its estate and in 2019 we noted that almost all departments were significantly behind their targets for land disposals.49 With that in mind, we challenged the Cabinet Office about how it intended to ensure that all departments participated in this disposals programme and what levers it could use if departments resisted. The Cabinet Office assured us that it had been in communication with departments and will maintain “constant pressure”.50 Reducing operating costs
Government Response Summary
The government agrees and will write to the committee by April 2023, having commissioned departments to produce disposal pipelines to 2030 for monitoring, and plans to publish updated disposal guidance in 2023.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government Accepted
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: end March 2023 The Cabinet Office will write to the Committee with this information by April 2023. The Cabinet Office has commissioned departments to produce a forward look (pipeline) of their planned disposal activity to 2030, and these pipelines will be refreshed periodically. This will enable the Cabinet Office to analyse, report on and monitor disposal plans, setting relevant programme performance indicators and measures to do so. Disposal plans will form part of the wider property efficiency conversation that departments will have with HM Treasury during the Efficiency and Savings Review, and the merit of setting targets will be determined during that exercise. An updated version of The Disposal of Government Property (Real Estate) guidance will be published in 2023 to align with current government priorities. The guidance provides disposal best practice advice and the technical processes to be followed to ensure Best Value is obtained in any disposal. This includes documenting the objectives driving the disposal, and from those to determine, with professional valuation advice, the most appropriate disposal strategy and method of sale. Departments should consider the implications on the disposal strategy of a weaker or uncertain market, including whether setting provisions to benefit from increases in value after disposal through overage or clawback, or the potential for partnership or profit sharing arrangements are appropriate.
Addressee Bodies
HM Treasury
Timeline
Recommendation age 3.6 yrs
Report published 21 Dec 2022