Government department set for new base in Salford

The Department of Science, Innovation and Technology will have a base in Salford from 2027

A second headquarters for a major government department will be located in Greater Manchester, it has been announced.

The Department of Science, Innovation and Technology will have a base in Salford from 2027.

It is part of plans to relocate 20,000 civil servant jobs across the country.

Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Michelle Donelan said the move would create "a dynamic community of sci-tech leaders".

"Greater Manchester is steeped in a legacy of technological progress, rooted in the Industrial Revolution and long home to scientific pioneers like Alan Turing and Ernest Rutherford," she said.

"By establishing our second headquarters here, we not only tap into a pool of exceptional talent but also ensure that policymakers responsible for the growth of science and technology live and work alongside a dynamic community of sci-tech leaders.

"It is important that the people we serve are placed at the heart of government and that policymakers represent the diversity of our communities."

The move is part of the government's Places for Growth programme to help to grow the economy across the UK.

A new second headquarters for the Department of Business and Trade will be located in Darlington and Aberdeen has been chosen as the location of a second headquarters for the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero.

Wrexham will also see the Department for Work and Pensions and the Ministry of Justice have bases in the city.

The government said it was bringing forward a target to relocate 22,000 roles out of London from 2030 to 2027.

Minister for the Cabinet Office, John Glen, said: "We are taking the long term decisions to move government roles out of London so more people from our great towns and cities can play a direct role in changing this country for the better.

"We have already gone above and beyond our targets, bringing the best talent from every corner of the UK into government roles, to make our civil service more efficient and representative of the wider public."