Government headquarters to expand in city

Announcing the move in 2021, the government said the team would cover two floors of the i9 building

The first ministerial base to be established outside London has announced plans to expand its presence in Wolverhampton.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) opened an office in the city, a second housing department headquarters, in 2021.

The department said it was planning to increase the workforce to about 400–450 roles compared to the original figure of 250 when the office was launched.

"This reflects the importance of Wolverhampton and the wider region to the department's agenda," a spokesperson told BBC News.

Staff are based in the i9 building in the city centre.

Announcing the move in May 2021, the then Conservative government said it would be the first of its kind outside of the capital, incorporating an office for ministers to work out of.

In a statement on Monday, the government said: "MHCLG is continuing to grow its presence in its 2nd HQ in Wolverhampton.

"Current planning assumptions indicate the number of roles based in the city could increase to around 400–450, compared to the original target of 250 when the office was first opened in 2021."

MHCLG has five ministers in the House of Commons.

Since Friday's reshuffle following Angela Rayner's resignation, three of them represent seats in London and two in the north-west of England.