§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will list in theOfficial Report those members of staff or Departments which are currently under consideration for relocation to sites outside London;
(2) whether there are any plans to relocate civil service staff or Departments to Scotland;
(3) whether he will now consider sites in Scotland for dispersal of civil servants or Departments being moved out of London;
(4) if he will list all examples of decentralisation of civil service staff which moved staff or Departments to offices in Scotland since 1979.
§ Mr. BrookeSince 1979, some 5,560 Civil Service posts have been dispersed from London under the Government's dispersal programme including 1,930 posts to Scotland. The Scottish posts were in the Ministry of Defence, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Overseas Development Administration. Further moves to Scotland of at least 125 posts are planned under this programme.
For the future, Departments will be encouraged to consider all suitable locations, including those in Scotland, on the basis mentioned in my answer of 18 January to the hon. Member for East Kilbride (Mr. Ingram) at columns 475–6. Any specific plans will be announced as and when they are prepared.