Civil servants to leave capital for regional ‘power hubs’

CIVIL servants will move out of London to create regional “power hubs”, while the House of Lords could relocate to York, Michael Gove has confirmed.

Mr Gove, Minister for the Cabinet Office, said the move would help to distribute “opportunity, jobs and investment fairly” across the country, and did not rule out also moving the House of Lords to York, which he said was a “matter for Parliament”.

Speculation about government departments moving has been building since Boris Johnson won a Tory majority in December, partly by turning Labour-held seats in the north of England.

Conservative Campaign Headquarters is understood to be planning to move its staff to the Midlands.

In an interview with the BBC’S Andrew Marr Show yesterday, Mr Gove said moving civil servants around the UK would demonstrate the Government’s commitment to “levelling up” the country.

Asked if chunks of government staff would be moved outside central London, Mr Gove replied: “Yes.”

“I think it is vitally important that decision-makers are close to people.

“I think it is vitally important that the strength of the UK Government is displayed across the whole of the UK and that we distribute opportunity, jobs and investment fairly.

“We’ve already got civil servants in Scotland, who are working for the Department for International Development, and in Wales, working for the Department for Transport – but we can do more.

“It’s good for the Union, it’s good for equal opportunity, it is good for what we call levelling up.”

Mr Gove said any plan to move the House of Lords to York was “a question for the House of Commons and the House of Lords”, but personally welcomed the proposals.

“Government has to tread carefully,” he added. “But my own view? Our UK Parliament is a parliament for everyone in the United Kingdom, so making it more accessible, and we can discuss how, is a good thing.”