News Release

13th July 2004

NO CIVIL SERVICE JOBS COMING TO THE WEST MIDLANDS

In advance of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's statement yesterday (the Comprehensive Spending Review, 12th July 2004) when he announced civil service cuts and the relocation of many remaining civil servants to regions outside London, Michael Fabricant tabled parliamentary written questions to every Government minister who heads a department. He asked: "How many civil servants and what percentage of the total Civil Service workforce will be relocated over the next 5 years (a) outside the M25, (b) to the West Midlands, and ( c) to Staffordshire. Michael says: "The replies which have just come in have been very disappointing. Not one said they would be deploying civil servants to the West Midlands, let alone Staffordshire.

"I tabled these questions to ministers after a meeting I had with the North Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce in Stoke on Trent as Shadow Minister for Economic Affairs. They are keen, as I am, to see civil service jobs relocated to Staffordshire and the West Midlands to boost the economy of the region. I think they will be as disappointed as I am with these complacent responses from Government ministers who do Staffordshire no favours.

Many Government Ministers said no decisions have been made yet despite the Chancellor of the Exchequer saying two years ago that he wanted civil servants deployed outside London. David Lammy, the minister at the Department of Constitutional Affairs (formerly the Lord Chancellor's Department) told me that 90% of his staff are already located outside London at court locations. But that was the best news. Gareth Thomas, the minister at the Department for International Development, said 85 jobs - 5% of the total workforce - will be moving to East Kilbride but none would be moving to the West Midlands. Charles Clarke, Secretary of State for Education and Skills, said that 70% of his department's staff work outside London. But it seems there are no plans to move any central staff to the West Midlands.

"Ministers from the departments of Work and Pensions, Health, the Cabinet Office, Transport, the Deputy Prime Minister, Environment Food & Rural Affairs, Defence, and Culture Media & Sport simply referred to an answer given to me by the Treasury which refers to the Lyons report which, in turn, says it is desirable for civil service posts to be moved outside London. But Paul Boateng, Gordon Brown's deputy who gave the Treasury's reply, in his answer to me simply added 'It will be for the departments themselves to determine their own dispersal strategies in the light of their particular business needs and priorities'.