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Departmental Location

Answer

Some employees have to change jobs for legal reasons, for example to meet a Disability Discrimination Act requirement, or to meet urgent departmental needs. The new job may be outside of reasonable daily travel of the civil servant's home or involve additional travel costs. Where this is the case, the Department may decide to assist with those relocation costs, either with a move of home at public expense, or more often, limited help with the extra travel costs in the initial period. As part of a reorganisation or restructure within a business area it may also be necessary to relocate work and the posts associated with that work. This may mean an employee is moved into a specific job, or a group of staff may be moved with their jobs to another location. Additionally many employees change posts but do not attract any relocation allowances.The number of staff within the 12 month period (1 October 2010 to 30 September 2011) who have moved jobs and been offered assistance with relocation expenses, either a move of home at public expense or more commonly limited assistance with travel expenses are detailed in the following table and set out by new post area.

New relocation area	Number of staff
East midlands	35
East of England	196
London	253
North-east	7
North-west	116
Northern Ireland	60
Scotland	64
South-east	373
South-west	1,250
Wales	12
West midlands	124
Yorkshire and the Humber	20
Total	2,510

A large number of employees are issued with change of job notices but many are not eligible for relocation assistance because the moves are in close proximity to their existing job and/or home or because relocation allowances were not offered. However, some employees who have been designated to move with their job to a new location receive advance notice of their job move. The number of staff within the 12 month period (1 October 2010 to 30 September 2011) who have had notice that they and their job is moving to a new area because of reorganisation or restructuring is detailed in the following table; and set out by new post area. However, many of the following may have already submitted relocation claims in the period and so will be included in the numbers given in the first table. These could not be separated without incurring disproportionate cost

New relocation area	Number of staff
East midlands	6
East of England	156
London	101
North-west	82
Overseas	8
Scotland	9
South-east	75
South-west	920
West midlands	9
Yorkshire and the Humber	20
Total	1,386

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

74913; 534 c173-4W

Session

2010-12

Subjects

Location Ministry of Defence

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk