PRESS NOTICE

SUB-GROUP ON WORKPLACE 2010 AND PUBLIC SECTOR JOB LOCATION

7 December 2006

PN 03/06

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE SCRUTINISES CIVIL SERVICE ESTATE RATIONALISATION PLANS

The Assembly Sub-Group on Workplace 2010 and Public Sector Job Location today began work on scrutinising progress of Government plans to rationalise the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) estate.

The Sub-Group, which was set up by the Committee on the Programme for Government on 27 November, will review progress on the Government’s Workplace 2010 programme and consider key issues in relation to public sector job location.

At today’s meeting, members resolved to seek written and oral evidence from key stakeholders.

Francie Molloy, MLA, who chaired today’s meeting said: “The Sub-Group is concerned that any decisions on the NICS office estate under Workplace 2010 and on the location of public sector jobs must not only provide value for money for the taxpayer but must take full account of the impact on existing NICS staff and the potential effect on areas of disadvantage”.

NOTE TO EDITOR:

Committee on the Programme for Government

The Sub-group on Workplace 2010 and Public Sector Job Location membership is:

Esmond Birnie	Ulster Unionist Party
John Dallat	SDLP
Pat Doherty	Sinn Fein
William Hay	Democratic Unionist Party
Robin Newton	Democratic Unionist Party
Pat O’Rawe	Sinn Fein

The Terms of Reference of the Sub-Group on Workplace 2010 and Public Sector Job Location are:

To review –

Progress on Workplace 2010;

To consider –

1. Key issues in relation to public sector job location;
2. Government policy and progress in realising relocation;
3. Potential role of initiatives such as Workplace 2010 in job relocation;
and
4. The principle of Workplace 2010 including the handing over of parts of the public sector estate to the private sector.

To report to the Committee on the Programme for Government by 3 January 2007

Information about today’s meeting can be obtained from: -

The Information Office
Room B2
Parliament Buildings
Belfast
028 90 521137