MSPs attack public sector job relocation

Published on Friday 2 March 2007 00:07

THE Scottish Executive's controversial policy of relocating public-sector jobs throughout the country has been heavily criticised by MSPs.

Ministers introduced the policy in 1999, with the aim of spreading the benefits of devolution.

But in a damning report, Holyrood's audit committee

said it was "disappointed to observe that the relocation of organisations to date is not delivering a true dispersal of jobs throughout Scotland".

Members also concluded that the implementation of the policy had been flawed and inconsistent.

They blasted ministers for failing to give full explanations of relocation decisions. The report branded this "unacceptable" and MSPs called on the Executive to deliver on a promise made in 2004 that each relocation announcement would be accompanied by a full statement outlining the reasons.

The committee report was also scathing of the decision to move Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) from its base in Edinburgh to Inverness.

It said arguments put forward by ministers for the move did not justify the change.

And with the committee reporting the total cost for the move was likely be in the region of 30 million, the MSPs said it did not provide value for money.

Brian Monteith, the committee's convener, said: "The principles of the Executive's relocation policy attracted widespread support, but concerns have emerged over the way in which it has been put into practice."

The independent MSP added: "The methodology used by the Executive to decide on the relocation of organisations has proved a blunt instrument which has failed to deliver a true dispersal of jobs throughout Scotland."

In the case of SNH, Mr Monteith said: "The committee decided that the relocation does not provide value for money."

The report comes after a study by Audit Scotland last year found that the benefits of the relocation policy were "unclear".

Since 1999, 38 organisations, employing 3,855 staff have undergone relocation reviews. The majority of these have been based in Edinburgh and a total of 2,432 jobs have been moved out of the capital, with another 260 in the process of moving.