Boris Johnson considers moving civil servants out of London
The Prime Minister is keen to 'level up' the economy by ripping up decade-old public spending rules in an effort to boost the economy in the north of the England.
But Scotland could also be in for an economic boost if Mr Johnson decides to relocate more civil servants out of London in an effort to increase the UK Government's presence north of the Border.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdUnder such plans, a new post-Brexit body to regulate the UK's fishing sector could be opened in the north-east of Scotland, where the country's busiest fishing ports are based.
One ally of the Conservative leader said there was a “strong desire” to move civil service jobs out of London. “We’re talking about some of the new bodies we want to establish, rather than simply moving existing Whitehall departments out of London," they told the Financial Times.
Speculation in Whitehall suggests industries including fisheries will need government bodies to take responsibility for supervisory work currently done in Brussels.
Scots Tory MP David Duguid, who represents the fishing seat of Banff and Buchan, told the paper: “There is a huge opportunity for increased employment in the fisheries sector and I can’t see why that should not include government jobs too.”
Cabinet minister Michael Gove suggested earlier this year that Westminster could start spending cash in traditionally devolved areas which he believed would strengthen the Union.
He said that while a “Treasury rule” means that the UK government “can’t spend money in areas that are devolved”, “once we’ve given the Scottish Government their fair share, the UK government should be able to spend additional money on the basis of need for projects that will strengthen the Union.”