§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Prime Minister (1) if she will meet Alyn and Deeside district council at its Hawarden headquarters to discuss the relocation of civil service departments in the county of Clwyd and specifically at(a) St. David's business park, Ewloe, on the A55 and A483 and (b) Warren Hall business park, Broughton, near Chester, on the A55;
(2) if she will visit the Warren Hall and St. David's business parks to see construction work in progress and to assess the suitability of these landscaped sites for the relocation of Whitehall Civil Service departments; and if she will make a statement.
§ The Prime MinisterI have no plans to do so. Under the policy announced by my right hon. Friend the Paymaster General on 31 March 1988 at columns 610–11, it is for individual Departments to review the location of their work in accordance with clear guidelines with a view to finding locations which offer advantages in terms of recruitment and retention of staff, value for money and increased operational efficiency; and to make their own inquiries about the most suitable sites. When Departments decide to relocate some of their work they will include among the locations they consider areas, such as the hon. Member's constituency, which are the focus of the Government's regional and urban policies. Departmental Ministers will announce their own decisions on significant relocations, including their chosen venues.