Civil servants to leave London and govern from across the UK, Michael Gove confirms
Civil servants will be moved out of London to create regional “power hubs” and the House of Lords may relocate to York, Michael Gove has confirmed.
Mr Gove, a Cabinet Office minister, 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 United Kingdom 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.”
The Times reported senior civil servants are already looking to buy properties in Yorkshire in anticipation of Government departments being moved to the north of England.
Departments across Whitehall have already been asked to submit plans to Downing Street for some of their operations to leave the capital.
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? I think that, if people were to see Parliament closer to different parts of the United Kingdom, then I don't see there are any reasons why we can't have more operations of the UK Parliament in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
"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."
