To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Civil Service posts have been transferred from London to the Greater Manchester area in the last 12 months; and how many posts are under consideration for such transfer. (85337)

In the 2005-06 financial year 96 posts were relocated to the Greater Manchester area bringing the total number of posts relocated to this area under the Lyons programme to over 300. Individual departments are responsible for deciding how best to meet their relocation target and full plans for the remaining 12,200 relocations are not yet finalised.