Minister reveals plan for raft of public bodies outside London post-Brexit
2 min read
Some 20 public bodies are set to spring up across the country as the civil service takes on new work as a result of Brexit, a minister has revealed.
Chris Skidmore said the Government would seek to place the organisations outside the capital to give people in the areas “something to aspire to”, while saving public cash.
Among the new offices will be regulatory bodies set up to oversee sectors currently under the watch of Brussels.
In an interview with Civil Service World, Cabinet Office Minister Mr Skidmore said: “There are several organisations that will be created through Brexit.
“You’re looking at 20 plus public bodies being created through Brexit – and the commitment there is getting those outside of London.”
The Conservative manifesto pledged to relocate “significant numbers” of public sector workers to new administrative centres across the country.
Mr Skidmore argued moving public sector organisations outside of the south east would not only benefit social mobility but provide beacons to the work of the civil service.
“Actually getting those public organisations, whether it is the UK Statistics Authority in Newport or whether it is the Local Government Ombudsman in Coventry, [outside London] is not just about saving money,” he insisted.
“It is about giving people something to aspire to and to know that the government is in their area.”
He said fellow Cabinet Office minister Caroline Nokes, who has responsibility for government property, would make formal announcements in due course.
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