§ Mr. Allan Stewartasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has yet reached decisions on the proposed reorganisation of the United Kingdom territorial organisation of the Property Services Agency.
§ Mr. ChopeMy right hon. Friend and I have decided to proceed with the PSA reorganisation from 1 April 1987, although in a number of cases closure will be effected over time and some staff may remain outstationed in the64W interim. We are satisfied that the proposals to merge the regional and area tiers of management will yield considerable managerial and cost benefits.
The pattern of regional offices in England and Wales will be unchanged and the effect on existing area offices and area estates offices is given in the table. This excludes the south-east region, where reorganisation has already begun, and the London region, which is the subject of a separate study.
Although in Scotland the Aberdeen and Glasgow area offices will close, we have decided to retain a substantial PSA presence in both locations to handle maintenance and estates functions. All design work will ultimately be concentrated in Edinburgh.
The current area office at Rosyth will close with essential functions being transferred to Edinburgh.
PSA region/ directorate and headquarters Area office Remarks Scotland Edinburgh Aberdeen1 Retained as an outstation Glasgow1 Retained as an outstation Rosyth To close North West Manchester Lisburn1 Retained as an outstation Preston1 Retained as an outstation (Note 1) North East Leeds Newcastle1 Retained as an outstation Leeds To close York To close Midland Birmingham Nottingham1 To close Shrewsbury1 To close Birmingham1 To close Wales Cardiff Colwyn Bay1 Retained as an outstation Haverfordwest Retained as an outstation (Note 2) Cardiff To close Eastern Cambridge Cambridge/USAF Merged with Region (Note 3) Newmarket Retained as an outstation (Note 4) Colchester Retained as an outstation Southern Reading Aldershot1 Retained as an outstation Bournemouth1 Retained as an outstation Abingdon1 To close (Note 5) South West Bristol Cheltenham To close Plymouth1 Retained as an outstation Bulford Retained as an outstation (Note 6) Bristol To close 1 Also an Estates Office. Notes:
- (1) Preston will become a District Works/Estates Office.
- (2) An Estates Office will be retained at Brecon.
- (3) USAF services strengthened by establishing two commands.
- (4) Pending availability of accommodation or redevelopment of the PSA site at Cambridge.
- (5) Closure of the Abingdon Office will take place when suitable accommodation is available in Reading.
- (6) Defence Land Agent, Durrington will be retained.
- (7) In a number of cases closure will be effected over time and some staff may remain outstationed in the interim.
- (8) With a few exceptions design staff will, in the long term, be located at the Regional Headquarters.