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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-06-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Written Statement of 26 May 2016, on BIS consultation, HCWS30, in which ways operating split-site and split-team working would put a strain on organisational effectiveness.

Joseph Johnson

Policy teams in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) are currently split across multiple locations around the country with teams and management chains divided across this landscape.

As the Department becomes smaller, BIS needs a different model in which it is easier for all policy staff to operate without having to work around or compensate for the logistical challenges of a split site model. The Combined Headquarters model will mean all policy staff are co-located and within close proximity to one another and to Ministers. This will enable more face to face interaction between and within teams, within management chains and with Ministers.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-06-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Written Statement of 26 May 2016, on BIS consultation, HCWS30, what assessment he has made of the effect of the decision to centralise policy functions in London on (a) the morale of staff working on higher education reform in the Department’s Sheffield office and (b) his Department’s ability to retain higher education policy officials.

Joseph Johnson

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is committed to providing extensive support to those affected, following the decision to proceed with the proposal to create a combined BIS Headquarters and policy function in London. This includes the provision of outplacement support, and working with employers to maximise redeployment opportunities. BIS continues to work with affected staff to ensure there is support available to meet needs.

Although 72% of higher education officials are based in London, we recognise there is important expertise based in Sheffield. Civil Service resourcing is a matter for the Permanent Secretary and Department Board, who are ensuring that our teams can continue to delivering on the Government’s priorities during this difficult change.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-06-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Written Statement of 26 May 2016, on BIS consultation, HCWS30, what proportion of his Department’s £350 million projected savings by 2020 he expects to be achieved as a result of the decision to centralise policy functions in London.

Joseph Johnson

Delivering the scale of change required to reduce our operating expenditure by £350m requires the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) to fundamentally transform the way it delivers services, works with partners, and makes policy. To help deliver this substantial saving we will be reducing our locations from around 80 sites to 7 business centres, one of which will be the combined policy centre and headquarters in London. The decision to establish this policy centre forms part of this much larger reform programme. The Department estimates that establishing a policy centre will generate savings of at least £7.5m per year by 2019-20, and it will also better enable the Department to operate a more flexible, agile and easily re-deployable policy function which will continue to deliver BIS’ priorities as it reduces in size over the course of the Parliament.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-06-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Written Statement of 26 May 2016 on BIS consultation, HCWS30, whether his Department considered alternative solutions to closure of his Department’s Sheffield office at St Paul’s Place to address the strain on organisational effectiveness caused by split-site working.

Joseph Johnson

During the consultation period the Executive Board listened to views from staff, unions, as well as local stakeholders about the Combined Policy Headquarters model. It considered various alternatives, including options which maintained split site working in different ways, before coming to its final conclusion.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-06-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Written Statement of 26 May 2016 on BIS consultation, HCWS30, how his Department plans to ensure organisational effectiveness in the operation of the proposed Business, Innovation and Skills regional presence.

Joseph Johnson

BIS2020 plans have always included a strong regional footprint as part of the Department’s location strategy. A regional presence will exist through the Department’s BIS Local offices, as well as where it is necessary to support service delivery at a local, rather than a national, level. Around 80% of the staff the Department pays for will continue to work outside of London, as part of the regional presence and in our business centres.

The operational effectiveness of our regional presence will continue, as now, to be managed through the Department’s business planning process and the sharing of best practice as well as through the strengthening of departmental governance by including partner CEOs on the Executive Board sub-committees.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-06-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Written Statement of 26 May 2016 on BIS consultation, HCWS30, whether he has made an assessment of the implications of the decision to create a combined Business, Innovation and Skills headquarters and policy function in London for the Government’s objective to move graduate recruitment outside London.

Joseph Johnson

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) participates in a cross-Government graduate scheme. Within this scheme, graduates are centrally recruited from all over the UK and short term-placements are offered by departments, including BIS, across various departmental locations. The decision to create a combined Business, Innovation and Skills headquarters and policy function in London will not affect participation in this scheme.