PLANS to relocate more than 20,000 Civil Service jobs outside London will be brought forward to 2027, the UK Government has said.
More than 200 roles from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero will be based at a new headquarters in Aberdeen.
The news comes after it was announced that David Cameron’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development office is to leave its East Kilbride base in a move that left South Lanarkshire Council “astounded”.
The Scottish Government has said it welcomes the announcement of any new jobs as the Place for Growth programme aims to relocate 22,000 roles out of London by 2027.
Extra timescales and a specific location for the jobs are yet to be announced.
Policy director at Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce said it was “fantastic news for the region”.
He said: “Aberdeen is home to major North Sea operators, the biggest concentration of energy supply chain companies in the UK and a 45,000-strong offshore energy sector workforce.
READ MORE: Michelle Mone 'played high-risk game' with 'dishonest' legal threats, says expert
“So it makes complete sense for energy civil servants to be located in the north east.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Scottish Government said it was still awaiting “further details on the matter” but that any new jobs were welcome.
“We are clear that Aberdeen and the north east of Scotland can be the net zero capital of Europe,” they said.
“Our draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan sets out a clear vision for how we will ensure our energy sector in Aberdeen, and right across Scotland, continues to unlock the enormous opportunities our energy transition presents.”
The plans have not been without criticism though. The cross-party Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee warned earlier that the UK Government had provided limited detail to justify the moves while exaggerating the success.
Chief operations officer at the Net Zero Technology Centre in Aberdeen added: “Having a local presence here strengthens that relationship with us and allows us to work closer with both governments but also with civil servants that are now going to be based here.
READ MORE: 'I'm disabled and SPT's transport services aren't good enough for me'
“It allows us more access to decision makers, it also make things more efficient and accelerate that transition to net zero.”
The news means that Aberdeen will become the second headquarters of the Department for Energy Security alongside Salford.
Cabinet Office minister John Glen said: “We are taking the long-term decisions to move government roles out of London so more people from our great towns and cities can play a direct role in changing this country for the better.
“We have already gone above and beyond our targets, bringing the best talent from every corner of the UK into government roles, to make our civil service more efficient and representative of the wider public.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel