Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 19 June 2025 to Question 58980 on Information Commissioner's Office: Remote Working, what the strategic objectives are which the decision to relocate was based on.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
On completion of the Property Control Approval Request (PCAR) process, the Circle Square Manchester option was lowest in cost on a lifecycle basis across the 10 years. As part of this approval process the Cabinet Office assesses any proposed lease of office space against value for money, efficiency, sustainability and increasing professional skills and expertise. We cannot for reasons of commercial confidentiality reveal real estate costs without the agreement of the landlords but can assure the Right Honourable Member that, in order to gain approval, the relocation represents value for money.
The ICO’s decision to relocate was approved by the Cabinet Office under existing delegated authorities from Cabinet Office Ministers. This enables National Property Controls to provide a cross-department, objective perspective to property transactions to check alignment with the Government Property Strategy and ensure financial and space efficiency.
In response to your question regarding working from home, the ICO offer hybrid working in support of their commitment to attract the best talent, enabling their staff to work where they are most productive, including at one of their five office locations in the UK.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the Information Commissioner's Office made a comparative estimate of the cost of office space in (a) Wilmslow and (b) Manchester before deciding to relocate.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
On completion of the Property Control Approval Request (PCAR) process, the Circle Square Manchester option was lowest in cost on a lifecycle basis across the 10 years. As part of this approval process the Cabinet Office assesses any proposed lease of office space against value for money, efficiency, sustainability and increasing professional skills and expertise. We cannot for reasons of commercial confidentiality reveal real estate costs without the agreement of the landlords but can assure the Right Honourable Member that, in order to gain approval, the relocation represents value for money.
The ICO’s decision to relocate was approved by the Cabinet Office under existing delegated authorities from Cabinet Office Ministers. This enables National Property Controls to provide a cross-department, objective perspective to property transactions to check alignment with the Government Property Strategy and ensure financial and space efficiency.
In response to your question regarding working from home, the ICO offer hybrid working in support of their commitment to attract the best talent, enabling their staff to work where they are most productive, including at one of their five office locations in the UK.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the Information Commissioner's Office sought ministerial approval for the decision to approve the move from Wilmslow to Manchester.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
On completion of the Property Control Approval Request (PCAR) process, the Circle Square Manchester option was lowest in cost on a lifecycle basis across the 10 years. As part of this approval process the Cabinet Office assesses any proposed lease of office space against value for money, efficiency, sustainability and increasing professional skills and expertise. We cannot for reasons of commercial confidentiality reveal real estate costs without the agreement of the landlords but can assure the Right Honourable Member that, in order to gain approval, the relocation represents value for money.
The ICO’s decision to relocate was approved by the Cabinet Office under existing delegated authorities from Cabinet Office Ministers. This enables National Property Controls to provide a cross-department, objective perspective to property transactions to check alignment with the Government Property Strategy and ensure financial and space efficiency.
In response to your question regarding working from home, the ICO offer hybrid working in support of their commitment to attract the best talent, enabling their staff to work where they are most productive, including at one of their five office locations in the UK.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 19 June 2025 to Question 58982 on Information Commissioner's Office: Wilmslow, what steps his Department took to find alternative office space for the Information Commissioner's Office in Wilmslow.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) decision to relocate was approved by the Cabinet Office with no formal role for my department. The ICO conducted an extensive search and reviewed a range of locations, including remaining within Wilmslow.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 19 June 2025 to Question 58982 on Information Commissioner's Office: Wilmslow, if he will publish the Information Commissioner’s Office's commercial analysis of the locations it considered.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) decision to relocate was approved by the Cabinet Office with no formal role for DSIT. Any request for further information about this project, including any plans to publish their commercial analysis, should be addressed directly to the ICO.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many staff network events took place in his Department in May 2025; and what the names of those events were.
Answered by Feryal Clark
Staff networks are collaborative volunteer networks, organised by staff themselves rather than the department. As a result, events are organised by staff themselves, not the department. We are not aware of any events that these networks organised in May 2025.
There were two centrally co-ordinated staff network events in May 2025: the monthly meeting of the Department’s Staff Network Chairs, which was for network chairs only and lasted for one hour, and an online session with Staff Network Chairs to mark National Staff Network Day which was available to all staff to attend and also lasted for one hour.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what the predicted average daily footfall is at the Information Commissioner's Office premises in Manchester.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Information Commissioner’s Office is independent of Government and reviewed a range of locations in deciding on its future office needs, including remaining within Wilmslow, to determine how it could best align with its strategic objectives. In particular it considered issues such as access to the necessary skills, the age and diversity of its existing workforce, and proximity to existing colleagues and transport hubs. Manchester city centre was evaluated as the top scoring location and Wilmslow was ranked second. On completion of the commercial analysis, the Circle Square Manchester option was lowest in cost on a lifecycle basis across the 10 years. This option also had better sustainability ratings than remaining in Wilmslow.
The Commissioner will retain 76 desks in Wilmslow until at least 2030 with a minimum daily footfall of 250 in Manchester. This is based on the majority of the ICO’s staff working from home more than one day a week as part of the organisation’s blended working arrangements.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, for what reason the Information Commissioner's Office is being relocated from Wilmslow to Manchester.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Information Commissioner’s Office is independent of Government and reviewed a range of locations in deciding on its future office needs, including remaining within Wilmslow, to determine how it could best align with its strategic objectives. In particular it considered issues such as access to the necessary skills, the age and diversity of its existing workforce, and proximity to existing colleagues and transport hubs. Manchester city centre was evaluated as the top scoring location and Wilmslow was ranked second. On completion of the commercial analysis, the Circle Square Manchester option was lowest in cost on a lifecycle basis across the 10 years. This option also had better sustainability ratings than remaining in Wilmslow.
The Commissioner will retain 76 desks in Wilmslow until at least 2030 with a minimum daily footfall of 250 in Manchester. This is based on the majority of the ICO’s staff working from home more than one day a week as part of the organisation’s blended working arrangements.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what information his Department holds on what the office capacity will be at the Wilmslow site of the Information Commissioner's Office following its relocation to Manchester.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Information Commissioner’s Office is independent of Government and reviewed a range of locations in deciding on its future office needs, including remaining within Wilmslow, to determine how it could best align with its strategic objectives. In particular it considered issues such as access to the necessary skills, the age and diversity of its existing workforce, and proximity to existing colleagues and transport hubs. Manchester city centre was evaluated as the top scoring location and Wilmslow was ranked second. On completion of the commercial analysis, the Circle Square Manchester option was lowest in cost on a lifecycle basis across the 10 years. This option also had better sustainability ratings than remaining in Wilmslow.
The Commissioner will retain 76 desks in Wilmslow until at least 2030 with a minimum daily footfall of 250 in Manchester. This is based on the majority of the ICO’s staff working from home more than one day a week as part of the organisation’s blended working arrangements.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what information his Department holds on what the office capacity is at the Information Commissioner's office premises in (a) Wilmslow and (b) Manchester.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Information Commissioner’s Office is independent of Government and reviewed a range of locations in deciding on its future office needs, including remaining within Wilmslow, to determine how it could best align with its strategic objectives. In particular it considered issues such as access to the necessary skills, the age and diversity of its existing workforce, and proximity to existing colleagues and transport hubs. Manchester city centre was evaluated as the top scoring location and Wilmslow was ranked second. On completion of the commercial analysis, the Circle Square Manchester option was lowest in cost on a lifecycle basis across the 10 years. This option also had better sustainability ratings than remaining in Wilmslow.
The Commissioner will retain 76 desks in Wilmslow until at least 2030 with a minimum daily footfall of 250 in Manchester. This is based on the majority of the ICO’s staff working from home more than one day a week as part of the organisation’s blended working arrangements.