§ 72. Mr. POTTSasked the Minister of Pensions whether the Yorkshire regional headquarters of the Ministry of Pensions is to be transferred to Newcastle; if he will state the population in the present Yorkshire area and the population in the northern area which is at present administered from Newcastle; whether the population in the Yorkshire area is approximately nearly double that of the northern; and, if it is eventually intended to administer the entire North of England from one centre, will he consider whether Leeds would offer a balance of advantages?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of PENSIONS (Captain Craig)The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative; to the second and third parts, that the population of the Yorkshire and northern regions, according to the Census of 1921, is 3,917,713 and 2,754,487 respectively; and to the last part that it is not in contemplation to administer the entire North of England from one centre.
§ Mr. POTTSDoes not the building used belong to the State or His Majesty, and has it not been looked upon as a white elephant in Newcastle-on-Tyne?
§ Captain CRAIGI am afraid I cannot tell to whom the building belongs, but I understand that for pensions purposes it is a very much better building than the one at Leeds.