This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Further job relocation reviews
13/01/2004
The Executive's drive to relocate public sector jobs
around Scotland took another step forward today when Tavish
Scott announced that more public bodies are to undergo a
review of their location.
In a written parliamentary answer, the Deputy Minister
for Finance and Public Services announced that the
following bodies will now be reviewing their locations:
* Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding
Councils, with a decision during 2004;
* Royal Fine Arts Commission for Scotland
(Architecture and Design Scotland), with a decision by the
end of 2004.
In addition, consideration is being given to setting up
the following new bodies:
* Proposed single agency to deliver custodial and
non-custodial sentences in Scotland;
* Proposed National Transport Agency.
If the Executive decides to proceed in setting up both
the above bodies, subject as appropriate to Parliamentary
approval, their location will be determined in accordance
with the Relocation Policy.
Giving evidence to the Scottish Parliament's Finance
Committee, Mr Scott said:
"In line with the Executive's policy of
decentralisation, we have been examining the possibilities
of moving public service jobs away from the capital.
"Around 1250 posts have been located or are planned to
be located outside Edinburgh as a direct result of our
actions over the last three years, benefiting areas from
Inverness to Galashiels.
"Today's decision to increase the number of
organisations under review is further evidence of our
desire to benefit communities the length and breadth of
Scotland from the relocation of public sector posts.
"The Executive is committed to ensuring that government
in Scotland is efficient and decentralised as part of the
wider vision of more accessible, open and responsive
Government. Relocation Policy is part of this vision. It
can also help us to address particular problems in certain
parts of the country.
"Relocation can provide more cost effective solutions
for service delivery by allowing organisations to operate
away from some of the pressures of the Edinburgh market.
It can assist areas with particular social and economic
needs. The impact of a relocation such as the Accountant
in Bankruptcy on communities in Ayrshire can be
significant.
"Our small units policy also addresses this issue though
with the focus on smaller and more remote communities. The
final main objective of relocation policy relates to our
vision of a decentralised Scotland. We do not wish to see
Devolution mean a concentration of all things in Edinburgh
or indeed in the Central Belt."
The Scottish Executive's policy on relocation has been
in operation since 1999. The trigger points for any
relocation review is that where a new unit or Agency is
established, or where an existing unit is merged or
otherwise reorganised, there should be a presumption in
favour of locating outside Edinburgh. In addition, for
existing bodies, where a significant property breakpoint is
reached, for example the termination of a lease, relocation
options outside Edinburgh will be considered.