§ Mr. Matherasked the Minister of Overseas Development what plans she has for the transfer of the Directorate of Overseas Surveys from Tolworth to Glasgow; what is the cost of this move; and what consultations she has held with the staff concerned.
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§ Mrs. HartMy right hon. Friend the Lord President announced the Government's dispersal plans in the House on 30th July 1974. These followed closely the recommendations in the Hardman Report, which accepted that the proposed move of the Directorate of Overseas Surveys to the Glasgow area might have to be re-examined in the light of any subsequent decisions affecting the directorate's future. This was because the previous Government had decided that the future of the directorate should be reviewed not later than April 1977. Since the July announcement I have had the re-examination of the directorate's future brought forward and it is nearly complete. This should enable useful consultations with the directorate's staff to take place. At their request I met a staff delegation earlier this week. Meanwhile the short-listing of sites in the Glasgow area from which a final selection can be made has been going on on a provisional basis. But planning has not reached the stage where an estimate of the costs is available.