HL Deb 18 July 1979 vol 401 cc1423-4

2.56 p.m.

Lord DAVIES of LEEK

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps are being taken to eliminate the anxiety of employees in the Manpower Services Commission that the move to a new headquarters at Moor-foot, Sheffield, promised by the previous Government will be abandoned by the present Government although many of them have entered into expensive commitments in reliance on that promise.

The MINISTER of STATE, DEPARTMENT of EMPLOYMENT (The Earl of Gowrie)

My Lords, the Government are committed to a reappraisal of the Civil Service dispersal programme, including the proposed move of the Manpower Services Commission to Sheffield. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Employment is well aware of the uncertainties for the staff involved and for their families. He has met the staff unions for discussions. The Government have made it clear that they hope to announce their decisions before the summer recess.

Lord DAVIES of LEEK

My Lords, while thanking the noble Earl for that reply, may I ask him whether he is aware that the general economic case for the dispersal had been more than confirmed by the erudite research done by Strathclyde University? It shows thereby that this dispersal programme would be an advantage to the economy. Would he, therefore, without delaying the House and the noble Members of the House, see that a result is given to the Manpower Services Commission as soon as possible to relieve the anxieties of people who have already bought houses in Sheffield in anticipation of living there? Finally, on both sides of the House there are men and women who recognise the assiduous work done for the country by the Manpower Services Commission.

The Earl of GOWRIE

My Lords, I certainly endorse the sentiments contained in the last part of the noble Lord's supplementary. We are of course conscious that people have bought houses and that any dispersals, or views of dispersals, must be done with a view to continuity and seeing that people are not disrupted in their work. That is why we have engaged in discussions with the staff unions. The noble Lord asked me for a fairly early answer. I am conscious that I have had to give rather stonewall answers in this House recently, but there is not much left of the parliamentary Session, and I say that we are committed to making a decision before the recess.