§ Mr. WelshTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to(a) relocate his Department's oil and gas directorate employment to Aberdeen and (b) create additional oil and gas jobs, indicating where the jobs will be located. [137336]
§ Mrs. LiddellMy Oil and Gas Directorate maintains offices in both Aberdeen and London, reflecting operational needs. There are no plans to change this.
In the last three years the number of posts located in Aberdeen has risen from 56.3 to 72.3; a further 14 posts have been transferred from my Department to the Inland Revenue's Aberdeen office. This reflects our policy of maintaining a substantial operational presence in Aberdeen. The future staffing of Oil and Gas Directorate is currently under review.