SNP calls for government to disperse jobs across country

THE SNP today called for more dispersal of government jobs from Whitehall, starting with locating the new Green Investment Bank in Edinburgh.

Parliamentary questions at Westminster revealed UK Government departments were spending over £116 million a year on London weighting and living allowances for staff.

SNP business and enterprise spokesman Mike Weir said: “We hear a lot of talk about the big society and localism from the Coalition Government, but we have to see much more evidence of decentralisation.

“Ministers should investigate further what can be done to spread civil service and quango jobs outside of London. They could start this process by basing the Green Investment Bank in Scotland.

“Bringing government closer to the people should be an ambition for ministers, and dispersing public sector jobs is one way to achieve this.”