Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the benefits to his Department of conducting policy work outside of London.

Joseph Johnson

Since summer 2015 the Department has been reviewing its business model. By 2020, we want to simplify our structure, become more digital, be cheaper for taxpayers and better for users. As part of this we anticipate reducing the number of our locations from more than 80 to approximately 7 centres plus a regional footprint for the provision of local services. The intention to close the BIS Sheffield office at St Paul’s Place is based on a strategy to simplify delivery and focus expertise in specific areas. Consistent with this strategy the policy function will be in one place, close to Ministers, and the Department has made a decision to locate all its policy functions in the HQ in London. By 2020 the majority of employees in BIS and our Partner Organisations will continue to be based outside of London.