Cost of RAF house takes off

The refurbishment of a senior RAF officer's house cost the taxpayer pounds 387,000 - pounds 127,000 more than earlier stated, it was revealed last night by Jeremey Hanley, Minister of State for the Armed Forces. He said in a parlamentary written answer that an audit had been ordered into the cost of the refurbishment at Haymes Garth, near Cheltenham, official residence of Sir Sandy Wilson, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Personnel and Training Command.

David Clark, Labour defence spokesman, said the expenditure, including pounds 33,000 on curtains, was 'a bit rich' when 25,000 jobs could be lost in defence cuts next week.