Government Departments (Dispersal)
Oral Answers to Questions — Civil Service

Mr Tam Dalyell (West Lothian)

asked the Minister for the Civil Service when he hopes to complete his study of the decentralisation of office work from Whitehall; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Kenneth Baker (St Marylebone)

As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister told the House on 4th July, he expects to receive recommendations by the end of the year and will report the outcome to the House.

Mr Tam Dalyell (West Lothian)

May we expect action or is this simply Governmental window-dressing?

Mr Kenneth Baker (St Marylebone)

The House can certainly expect action. The study is the most elaborate study that has even been undertaken on dispersal by any Government. It involves creating a pattern of communication for each Department and balancing the loss in the communication with the gain in the regions of employing resources that would not otherwise be employed. This is a very elaborate study. Several Governments have come to see how we are doing it and I can assure the hon. Gentleman and the rest of the House that there will be action based upon the recommendations later this year.

Mr Peter Blaker (Blackpool South)

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if the review of the location of Civil Service work has yet been completed.

Mr Kenneth Baker (St Marylebone)

As I told the hon. Member for West Lothian (Mr. Dalyell) earlier, recommendations are expected by the end of the year.

Mr Peter Blaker (Blackpool South)

Is my hon. Friend aware that since the committee was set up to examine this matter some parts of the country have been granted assisted area status, including large areas in Lancashire? Is he satisfied that the committee is bearing this in mind, and will the Government bear it in mind in considering its report?

Mr Kenneth Baker (St Marylebone)

I can give my hon. Friend that assurance. The Government have directed quite a lot of jobs to the North-West Region. It has received nearly 20 per cent. of dispersals since 1970 and is due to receive over 6 per cent. of dispersals planned but not yet implemented.

Mr George Wallace (Norwich North)

Will the hon. Gentleman give an assurance that the claims of East Anglia are not overlooked by the Government as other Departments have done in the development of industry in the regions?

Mr Kenneth Baker (St Marylebone)

I am happy to give the hon. Gentleman that assurance. I was in Norwich only the other day, looking at Her Majesty's Stationery Office, which was dispersed to Norwich and which is my responsibility. I was impressed by how happy the staff were working there, after having previously lived and worked in London.

Mr Christopher Tugendhat (Cities of London and Westminster)

Is my hon. Friend aware that, since this review began, the problem of imbalance between residential accommodation and office accommodation in London has become much more widely realised? Will he assure the House that he will do his best to get out of London Departments which do not need to be in his constituency or mine? Will he also put pressure, where possible, on the nationalised industries?

Mr Kenneth Baker (St Marylebone)

The nationalised industries are not my responsibility. I can give my hon. Friend the assurance that we are looking at all Government Departments. The review we are undertaking is looking at the 90,000 jobs in the central management of the Civil Service to see to what extent these can be dispersed.

Mr Kenneth Baker (St Marylebone)

I am not claiming that I am the Minister responsible for the North-East, but I can assure the hon. Gentleman that the claims of the North-East are being examined with the care and scrutiny with which we examine the other assisted areas and other regions of the country.