§ Mr. ChurchillTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many employees within his Department are currently employed in London and the south-east of England; what percentage of these are engaged in work which can only readily be done within this area; and what consideration he has given to the relocation of units within his Department to Manchester and other regional centres.
§ Mr. Ridley[holding answer Tuesday 5 July]: Some 5,200 of the 6,600 staff in my Department, excluding the Property Services Agency, are employed in London and the south-east. Of the 25,400 staff in the Property Services Agency, 11,800 are employed in London and the south-east. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the 597W Exchequer announced on 31 March, at columns 610–11, that Departments would be reviewing the location of their work. In pursuit of that announcement, I am presently reviewing my Department to determine whether any work might be suitable for relocation from London and the south-east to other areas of the country.