§ Mr. FrenchTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any decision has been taken about the relocation of Customs and Excise headquarters work from London and Southend; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RyderIn June 1988 the board of Customs and Excise set up an internal review to examine the scope for relocating headquarters work from London and the south-east. The review team's report is published today and I have arranged for a copy to be placed in the Library.
The Paymaster General and the board of Customs and Excise have decided to accept the review team's recommendation that a substantial proportion of headquarters work should be relocated. Altogether some 1,700 posts will be transferred out of the south-east, and around 250 posts transferred from London to Southend. The number of headquarters posts in London will be reduced by about 40 per cent. to around 900, and in Southend by about 30 per cent. to 2,100. The relocation moves are planned to take place in stages over three years beginning in the autumn of 1990.
Final decisions have not yet been taken on a site or sites for relocation; the board of Customs and Excise intends to consult staff and the departmental trade union side before reaching a final conclusion early in the new year. The board's present view, however, is that the majority of the relocated posts might be sited in Liverpool, where a small part of the Department's headquarters is already sited, and in Manchester.
These changes are expected to produce significant benefits both in terms of costs and staffing. Accommodation costs in particular will be reduced, and the opportunities for recruitment and retention of staff will be substantially improved. At least 1,300 jobs will he available for filling locally which will boost the economy of those areas eventually chosen for relocation.