To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many jobs his Department expects to relocate under the policy of civil service job dispersal. (213397)

The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills was created in June 2007, following Machinery of Government changes. The Department inherited commitments under Lyons review from its predecessors, the Department for Education and Skills and the Department for Trade and Industry. My Department has a target to relocate out of London and the south-east around 223 posts from its own organisation and its partner organisations by 2010.

At the end of March 2008, 108 posts had been relocated out of London and the south-east by my Department and its partner organisations. My Department is working with our partners to continue to deliver further relocations of posts. We expect to meet the target.