Lib Dems Warn Of Brown Office Relocation Own Goal

8.22.00pm GMT Wed 24th Mar 2004

Lord Matthew Oakeshott, a Liberal Democrat Treasury and Pensions spokesman has written to Gordon Brown warning him against scoring a spectacular own goal straight from the kick off of the office relocation policy he announced in the Budget.

The Department of Work and Pensions has placed advertisements for the Chair and Chief Executive of the new Pension Protection Fund to be located in Southern England (at salaries of £80,000 for a two day week and up to £150,000).

Lord Oakeshott, in his letter, asks the Chancellor if he really wants to send this message that plum jobs and an essential new office to protect Britain's crumbling pension funds are too good for the North although cities like Leeds, Glasgow and Edinburgh have plenty of top actuaries and lawyers. He calls on the Chancellor to enforce the Lyons Report's key recommendations that new government bodies and activities should be relocated outside London and the South East.

Lord Oakeshott will also raise this in his speech in the House of Lords on occupational pension schemes this evening.

ENDS

Notes

Letter from Lord Matthew Oakeshott to Chancellor Gordon Brown

Dear Chancellor,

Why locate the Pension Protection Fund in Southern England?

You are about to score a spectacular own goal straight from the kick off of your office relocation policy. Last Wednesday, in your budget speech, you promised to implement Sir Michael Lyons' excellent report calling for 20,000 civil service jobs to move out of expensive offices in London and the South East. Back office and lower paid civil servants will bear the brunt of relocations and job cuts.

Why is the DWP advertising four days later in the Sunday Times for a Chair of the new Pension Protection Fund (at £80,000 a year for a two day week) and a new Chief Executive (at up to £150,000), to be located in Southern England? Do you really want to send this message that plum jobs and an essential new office 'to protect Britain's crumbling pension funds' are too good for the North? There are plenty of top-class actuaries and lawyers to advise or work for the PPF in cities like Leeds, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Lyons recommended on the front page of his Executive Summary, that: "There should be a strongly enforced presumption against London and South East locations for new government bodies and activities."

Will you please now enforce it? I am copying this letter to Andrew Smith.

Lord Matthew Oakeshott