The UK Government has moved 933 jobs out of London to Scotland in the last two years, as part of a commitment, Places for Growth, to relocate 1500 jobs here by 2025.
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Nadhim Zahawi, made the announcement on a visit to the Cabinet Office’s second HQ in Glasgow on Tuesday. There will be 600 more jobs based in Glasgow by 2025.
The whole programme will move 22,000 jobs out of London by 2030.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations Nadhim Zahawi said: “We want to drive growth right across the United Kingdom and moving Civil Service jobs out of London is crucial to delivering this. I am delighted to say that the Cabinet Office is leading the way with this work by ensuring we have key decision makers based in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
“It is imperative that we continue to build on this momentum and expand opportunities for people outside of London, giving them the chance to build successful careers right across the UK and bring diversity of thought and experience right to the very top of government.”
Naomi Hunter, who was born in Edinburgh but moved to London to join the Treasury in 2013, is now a Senior Civil Servant based in the Cabinet Office’s Glasgow HQ. After joining the UK Civil Service, she spent the next seven years living in London and travelling back to Scotland regularly to see family and friends.
Ms Hunter, who leads the strategy team for recovering public sector debt, said: “When I first joined the UK civil service, I moved to London because it was the only option if I was going to progress in my career. The opening of the Cabinet Office HQ in Glasgow has meant I’ve been able to move back to Scotland and still do what I’m passionate about. I’m so pleased for people in Scotland that they no longer need to move south to start their careers or get good, expert jobs in their field.”
In Edinburgh Queen Elizabeth House has more than 3,000 civil servants working in 11 departments in the 190,000 square feet of space over seven floors.
The Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland (OSSS) and the Office of the Advocate General, have been joined in the hub by other UK Government departments and bodies including HMRC, HM Treasury, Cabinet Office, the Office for Statistics Regulation, the Information Commissioner’s Office, and the Government Actuary’s Department.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
