§ Mr. McAllionTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the costs and benefits of relocating parts of her Department's headquarters' work from the south-east, with particular reference to the financial implications of moving work from Guildford to York.
§ Mr. JackThe overall costs of running our relocated operations in York will be significantly lower than a similar operation in the south-east. There are, in addition, distinct operational benefits in bringing together under one roof in York a number of related, but previously geographically separated, divisions, especially those with close working links with the new MAFF central science laboratory under construction at Sand Hutton, just outside York. The main costs of the move cover expenditure on moving staff and fitting out costs for the new building.