§ Mr. RedwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans are there(a) to move Government offices to the north and west of the United Kingdom and (b) to relocate some central London office staff to docklands or south of the river.
§ Mr. BrookeI have been asked to reply.
Under the Government's relocation policy which I announced on 31 March 1988, at columns 610–611, 30W Departments are reviewing the location of their work with a view to finding locations offering easier labour markets and other advantages. Departmental Ministers announce the outcome of such reviews after decisions have been taken, and since last March firm plans to transfer 1,800 posts from London and the south-east to the north and west of the United Kingdom have been announced; target locations include Glasgow, Belfast, Wigan, Bath and Swindon. No similar announcements regarding moves within London to docklands and south of the river have been made.
In addition, a further 160 posts are due to be transferred to Glasgow under the earlier dispersal programme.