HC Deb 24 March 1964 vol 692 cc60-1W
58. Dr. Bray

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement on the progress of re-location of Government offices.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

Since I announced the Government's outline plans for dispersing Civil Service work from London in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. G. Johnson Smith) on 18th July, the Departments concerned have been making detailed plans for the various moves in consultation with staff representatives and local authorities. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Public Building and Works has already announced the move of his Department's Accounts Division to Hastings. It has also been decided that the Paymaster General's Office, which employs over 600 staff, will be moved to Crawley, starting this year, and part of the Headquarters of the Forestry Commission, together with its English Directorate, involving some 140 staff, will be moved to Basingstoke. A decision on tile move of the Post Office Savings Bank will be announced very shortly, and decisions on other moves will be announced as soon as they are settled.