Written question asked by John Bercow (Conservative) on Monday, 4 March 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 21 March 2002. It was answered by Maria Eagle (Labour) on Thursday, 21 March 2002 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Dept for Work and Pensions

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his policy is on the payment of relocation expenses to staff in his Department.

Answer: Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his policy is on the payment of relocation expenses to staff in his Department. [41023] Maria Eagle: Relocation expenses are available to DWP staff in the event of a compulsory and permanent transfer which necessitates a move of home. In determining whether these expenses are available to individual staff, alternative options such as local recruitment or redeployment are considered first to ensure that these transfers are cost effective. The financial assistance available would normally cover all necessary legal, removals and estate agents' costs. Assistance from a specialist relocation company in marketing homes is also available. On-going assistance may also be forthcoming if a member of staff relocates to a dearer housing, as determined by the use of Valuation Office data, resulting in increased housing costs. All new housing costs are closely compared to those at the original home to ensure that comparable property types are used. These expenses and controls are in line with the central guidance in section 8 of the Civil Service Management Code.

Secondary information