§ Miss Richardsonasked the Minister of Overseas Development (1) what effect the 484W proposed transfer of posts in her Department to Glasgow will have on the regional career structure of the personnel involved, particularly in the executive officer/higher executive officer area; and if she will give details of the posts to be transferred;
(2) what effect the proposed transfer of posts in her Department to Glasgow will have on the promotion prospects of the personnel transferred, particularly in view of the fact that the number of posts envisaged by Hardman as available far transfer is unlikely to be realised.
§ Mrs. HartThe career management and development of staff who are to be relocated at East Kilbride is currently under consideration in the departmental Whitley Council. I envisage that promotions to Executive Officer and above will continue unler a single system of promotion boards as at present, and movement between London and East Kilbride, both on promotion and for career development purposes, will be encouraged. If staff once relocated did not wish to move again they would, of course, suffer some diminution of their promotion prospects within my Ministry as a whole, but this problem is faced by staff in a number of Government offices which are geographically separated from their headquarters.
Information based on current assumptions about the posts to be relocated was given in my reply to the hon. Member for Hitchin (Mr. Stewart) on 14th March—[Vol. 928, c. 27–8.] The breakdown by grades is under review and for the moment I can give no further details.