§ 54. Mr. Canavanasked the Minister for the Civil Service whether the Government have any further plans for the dispersal of Civil Service jobs to Scotland.
§ The Minister of State, Treasury (Mr. Barney Hayhoe)There are at present no plans to extend the Government's dispersal programme beyond what was announced on 26 July 1979.
§ Mr. CanavanIs it not a damning indictment of the Government's policies that one of the few growth areas in the Civil Service in Scotland recently has been the employment of more professional snoopers for the harassment of the unemployed and other people receiving benefit, when the Government should be creating more employment in Scotland, for example, by shifting the entire Department of Energy from London to the west of Scotland to compensate for the public asset-stripping of the British National Oil Corporation, which the Labour Government founded and which has its headquarters in Scotland?
§ Mr. HayhoeThe hon. Gentleman's supplementary question seems to have little to do with his original question, and I repudiate his suggestions.
§ Mr. WoolmerOn the question of the dispersal of civil servants throughout the regions, does the Minister agree that an important element in the recruitment of civil servants in the regions is their pay? In their current pay negotiations, do the Government intend to vary the pay offer according to the regional location of the employees? Bearing that in mind, when does the hon. Gentleman expect the negotiations to be concluded, and when will he come to the House with news of those negotiations?
§ Mr. HayhoeNegotiations about this year's pay claim have started with the Civil Service and an offer will be made by the Government fairly soon. It would not be right to make any further comments at this stage.