HC Deb 26 October 1971 vol 823 cc308-9W
Mr. McGuire

asked the Minister for the Civil Service (1) what criteria he uses to guide him in deciding upon the dispersal of Government Departments to the regions;

(2) if, because of the level of unemployment, he will allocate a high priority to the Skelmersdale New Town in his policy of dispersing Government Departments to the regions; and if he will make a statement;

(3) when he expects to complete his review on the dispersal of Government Departments; how many Government Departments have been dispersed during the last 12 months; to what areas they were sent; and what was the total numbers of jobs created thereby in the areas concerned.

Mr. David Howell

I would refer the hon. Member to my answer to a number of hon. Members on 14th July describing progress on the review of dispersal possibilities and setting out the two main criteria to be used when the question of dispersal locations is considered. Skelmersdale New Town will be considered along with other places as the review proceeds. Information about Civil Service work dispersed from the London area

Department Location Jobs
Charity Commission Liverpool 94
Civil Service Department Basingstoke 447
Customs and Excise Southend 1
Ministry of Defence Carlisle 71
Harrogate 132
Quedgeley 5
Ministry of Defence (Aviation Supply) Liverpool 24
Farnborough 17
Bedford 7
Department of Education and Science Darlington 220
Department of Employment Runcorn 215
Home Office Redhill 8
Manchester 2
Corby 76
Inland Revenue Edinburgh 641
Manchester 468
Land Registry Plymouth 44
Department for National Savings Glasgow 762
Durham 71
Paymaster General's Office Crawley 44
Royal Mint Llantrisant 21
Department of Trade and Industry Newport 115
Total 3,485

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