More than 200 civil service jobs in oil and gas jobs to relocate to Aberdeen from London

Hundreds of civil servants will relocate to Aberdeen over the next two years under plans announced by the UK Government.

More than 200 roles from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (ESNZ) will relocate to the Granite City at a new headquarters, it was confirmed on Tuesday.

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack called it “great news” and said it demonstrated the Government’s commitment to “the north east of Scotland and to our oil and gas and renewables sectors”.

The Places for Growth programme aims to relocate 22,000 roles out of London by 2027.

Darlington, Greater Manchester and Wrexham have also been named as places getting new posts.

Cabinet Office minister 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.”

Ryan Crighton, policy director at Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, said: “We have been pressing the Prime Minister, the Chancellor and the UK Government to locate more civil service jobs in Aberdeen, so this is fantastic news for the region and a big victory for the chamber.

“By bringing the headquarters of DESNZ to Aberdeen it will sit alongside other key institutions, such as the North Sea Transition Authority, Net Zero Technology Centre, Energy Transition Zone and the two universities leading on research and new technology to achieve net zero.

“Furthermore, it will place the department in proximity to an industry undergoing an exciting, yet nevertheless challenging transition — a transition that is critical we get right.

“Aberdeen is home to major North Sea operators, the biggest concentration of energy supply chain companies in the UK and a 45,000-strong offshore energy sector workforce – so it makes complete sense for energy civil servants to be located in the north east.”