Petition Scrap plans to close the BIS Department's Sheffield office - costing 247 jobs

On Wednesday 24 February, MPs debated the closure of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills office in Sheffield. This debate was scheduled following a bid from Kevin Barron MP.

You can watch the debate here: http://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/09477a5f-28c0-45be-8916-3adde7bd3398?in=14:30:00

You can read the transcript here: https://hansard.digiminster.com/commons/2016-02-24/debates/16022451000002/DepartmentForBusinessInnovationAndSkillsOfficeSheffield

You can follow the House of Commons on Twitter: @HouseofCommons

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You can find out more about the work of the Petitions Committee on its website here: www.parliament.uk/petitions-committee

You can follow the Petitions Committee on Twitter: @hocpetitions

On Monday 9 May, MPs will debate the BIS Sheffield proposal and Government Departments outside London.

Paul Blomfield, MP for Sheffield Central, successfully applied for the debate through the Back Bench Business Committee. This is one of the ways backbench MPs can get debates.

The motion being debated reads:

"That this House notes with concern the Business, Innovation and Skills Department's proposal to close its Sheffield policy office, moving 247 posts to London; further notes that the Sheffield BIS office proposal runs counter to the Government's welcome commitment to create a public sector that reflects the diverse nature of the UK following the publication of the Bridge report and also to the commitment in Budget 2016 to move civil servants out of expensive Whitehall accommodation; and therefore calls on the National Audit Office to conduct a cost benefit assessment of the BIS Sheffield proposal."

You can watch the debate on Parliament TV: http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/ddc7beeb-6dc7-4df7-ae42-692e767fb4b4
  
You can read the full transcript the day after the debate on the Hansard website: https://hansard.digiminster.com/Commons/
 
The debate is due to take place in the afternoon after 3.30pm. The exact time will depend on whether there are any statements from the Government or urgent questions.

You can follow the House of Commons on Twitter for live updates: @HouseofCommons
 
You can watch Paul Blomfield MP's application for the debate to the Back Bench Business Committee on Parliament TV: http://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/c05cda60-bfd4-4b86-8370-6bb1ddad8c02?in=14:53:30

You can find out more about the role of the Back Bench Business Committee on its website: http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/backbench-business-committee/how-the-backbench-business-committee-works/

This email has been sent by the House of Commons Petitions Committee. You can find out more about the work of the Petitions Committee on its website: www.parliament.uk/petitions-committee

You can follow the Petitions Committee on Twitter: @HoCpetitions

There are other ways you can get involved in the work of the UK Parliament.

Find out how to contact your MP or a Lord, contribute to Parliamentary Committees, and search for free Parliament events taking place in your local area here: http://www.parliament.uk/get-involved/

Find out how you can visit Parliament: http://www.parliament.uk/visiting/