To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether his Department
plans to close the (a) Big Lottery Fund office (i) on Churchill Way Cardiff and (ii)
at Ladywell House Powys, (b) Heritage Lottery Fund office on Museum Place Cardiff
and (d) Information Commissioner's Office on Churchill Way Cardiff.
<p>The civil service is going through a fundamental transformation in the way that
we work and deliver services, not least through advances in technology.</p><p> </p><p>We
are working with departments to deliver our commitments within the Government Estates
Strategy and to ensure that we make the best use of our Government Estate assets,
including the office estates. We have a particular commitment to consider locations
outside of London as identified through our Places for Growth programme</p>
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to close
the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency office on (a) Longview Road, Swansea, (b)
Upper Forest Way, Swansea and (c) the Trinity House office at Kings Dock, Swansea.
<p>There are no plans to close the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s offices
at either Longview Road or Upper Forest Way in Swansea. These remain in the DVLA’s
long term estates strategy. The property at Trinity House, Kings Dock is not part
of the DVLA estate.</p>
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans his Department has to close (a)
the Royal Mint Advisory Committee office in Llantrisant, Pontyclun, (b) the Valuation
Office Agency on High Street, Bangor, (c) the Valuation Office Agency at Picton Terrace,
Carmarthen, (d) the Valuation Office on Regent Street, Rexham, (e) the Valuation Office
Agency at Chepstow Road, Newport, (f) the Valuation Office Agency on High Street,
Swansea, (g) the Valuation Office Agency on Churton Road, Rhyl, (h) the Valuation
Office Agency on Castle Street, Merthyr Tydfil, (i) the Valuation Office Agency on
Ty Glas Road, Cardiff, (j) the Inland Revenue Office at 27 Westgate Street, Cardiff,
(k) the HMRC office on Stepney Street, Llanelli, (l) the HMRC office on Britannia
Terrace, Porthmadog and (m) the HMRC office on Ellice Way, Wrexham.
<ol><li><p>HM Treasury have confirmed that the Royal Mint Advisory Committee have
no plans to close the office in Llantrisant, Pontyclun.</p></li><li><p>The Valuation
Office Agency (VOA) office on High Street, Bangor is due to close in 2020-21.</p></li><li><p>The
VOA office at Picton Terrace, Carmarthen is due to close in October 2019.</p></li><li><p>Wrexham
is a long-term location for the VOA.</p></li><li><p>The VOA office on Cheapstow Road,
Newport closed in January 2017.</p></li><li><p>Swansea is a long-term location for
the VOA.</p></li><li><p>The VOA office on Churton Road, Rhyl is due to close in October
2019.</p></li><li><p>The VOA office on Castle Street, Merthyr Tydfil closed in March
2016.</p></li><li><p>The VOA is currently located on Ty Glas Road, Cardiff. They intend
to remain in Cardiff, and plan to relocate into the Cardiff Government hub, co-located
with HMRC during 2020-2021.</p></li><li><p>Whilst there was an Inland Revenue Office
at 27 Westgate Street, Cardiff, HMRC do not hold records of when this office closed.</p></li><li><p>The
HMRC office on Stepney Street, Llanelli closed in 2014-2015.</p></li><li><p>The HMRC
office on Britannia Terrace, Porthmadog closed in May 2018.</p></li><li><p>HMRC will
continue to occupy the office on Ellice Way, Wrexham until 2020-2021.</p><p> </p><p>The
VOA’s estates programme aligns to the wider Government Estate Strategy, and in the
future VOA offices will often be based in Government Hubs, enabling closer working
with other government departments. The intention is for the VOA's estates strategy
to balance affordability, geographical coverage and allow more efficient and digital
ways of working. As office space is reduced, the VOA will seek, where possible, to
retain people and their skills in the Agency.</p></li></ol>
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government has plans to close
the office of the (a) Boundary Commission for Wales in Fitzalan Court, Cardiff, (b)
Company Names Tribunal on Cardiff Road, Newport, (c) Estyn office on Keen Road, Cardiff,
(d) Forest Research on Cefn Gethiniog, Powys, (d) Office for National Statistics on
Cardiff Road, Newport, (e) Public Health Wales on Tyndall Street, Cardiff, (f) Wales
Audit Office at 24 Cathedral Road, Cardiff (g) Wales Audit Office at North Wales Business
Park, Conwy and (h) Wales Audit Office on Penllergaer, Swansea.
<p>Following consultation with the Government Property Agency who now manage the Cabinet
Office estate, I can confirm that none of the locations referred to in the above question
are owned or managed by Cabinet Office.</p><p> </p><p>The civil service is going through
a fundamental transformation in the way that we work and deliver services, not least
through advances in technology. The future civil service will be more efficient, more
highly skilled and agile.</p><p> </p><p>We are working with departments to deliver
our commitments within the Government Estates Strategy and to ensure that we make
the best use of our Government Estate assets, including the office estates. We have
a particular commitment to consider locations outside of London as identified through
our Places for Growth programme.</p><p> </p>