§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list all office relocations of his Department's staff since May 1979, stating in each case the location of origin and the location of transfer, together with the numbers of staff transferred.
§ Mr. ForthSince 1979 we have relocated the following activities:
National Weights and Measures Laboratory
50 post moved in 1987 from Chapter street London SW1 to the National Physical Laboratory site at Teddington.Personnel
30 post in the Pay Unit were transferred to Cardiff in 1986.Laboratory of the Government Chemist
336 post moved in 1988 from Waterloo to the National Physical Laboratory site at Teddington.DTI South-East
One hundred and fourteen posts in the regional office serving London and the South East have been transferred from Victoria to Cambridge, Reading, Reigate and other parts of the region. Ninety posts were transferred in 1988 and a further 24 in 1989.Insolvency Service
One hundred and thirty four headquarter and other London based posts transferred in 1988–89 to Birmingham and a further 34 posts are planned for relocation to Birmingham and Edinburgh.Patent Office
304WThe relocation of 850 posts to south Wales began in 1988 and will finally be completed in 1991 when the new premises being built to house the office are ready for occupation.We have recently announced that the Import Licensing Branch with 53 posts would be transferred to Billingham during 1990.
§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what relocations of his Department's staff, or agencies relating thereto, are currently being considered; and what are the numbers of staff affected.
§ Mr. ForthThe location of functions currently based in London and the south-east is being considered in a rolling programme of reviews covering altogether the work of approximately 4,000 staff. Reviews currently in hand affect about half this total.
The location review programme aims to identify those activities which could be relocated without significant loss of operational effectiveness and which would offer a positive cost benefit.