HC Deb 31 October 1990 vol 178 cc530-1W
Mr. Robert Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what organisations and sections within his Department presently being housed in London are being considered for dispersal to provincial areas.

Mr. Chris Patten

Some 40 per cent. of the Department's staff already work outside London and around 25 per cent. outside the south-east.

Decisions have been taken to relocate from London 94½ posts in the Department's information systems division, rentcharges unit and housing data and statistics division, as well as in Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.

Additionally, a preliminary study has recently been undertaken of the possibility of relocating the 550 posts in the building research establishment from their present site at Garston in Watford. The results of the study are currently being considered.