§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff currently employed in the Highways Agency are being re-deployed to the roads programme directorate in Birmingham to provide local knowledge of schemes in the north-west. [15664]
§ Mr. WattsThis is an operational matter for the Highways Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody, dated 24 March 1995:
As you know, the Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr. John Watts, has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Transport, how many staff currently employed in the Highways Agency are being re-deployed to the Roads Programme Directorate in Birmingham to provide local knowledge of schemes in the North West.We are keeping the Directorate's Northern Operations Division in Manchester, therefore our oversight of the preparation and design of major improvements to trunk roads in the North West will not change location.As part of our total restructuring package we asked staff to indicate their preferences for future location and type of work. Many wished to stay working in the same location and are likely to stay on the same work.370WSupervision of construction is being brought together in Birmingham and 3 staff presently based in Manchester are to be transferred with that work.None of our restructuring and reorganisation affects the terms of employment of either firms of consultants or local authorities who are designing the schemes or acting as engineers to the contracts.