LONDON

UK government on Wednesday announced plans to shut key Whitehall buildings and relocate thousands of jobs from London to regional hubs across the UK.

The move is part of a wider effort to decentralize decision-making and cut costs, with 12,000 civil servant jobs in the capital set to be cut or relocated.

Pat McFadden, the Cabinet Office minister revealed in a statement that a target has been set for 50% of all senior civil servants to be based outside London within five years.

The aim, he said, is to bring policymaking closer to the communities it affects.

The reduction will bring the number of full-time government staff in Whitehall down from 95,000 to around 83,000.

Thousands of roles will be transferred to newly developed hubs, including an artificial intelligence and digital center in Manchester and an energy campus in Aberdeen.

McFadden said the initiative was focused on “taking more decision-making out of Whitehall and moving it closer to communities all across the UK.”

“By relocating thousands of civil service roles we will not only save taxpayers money, we will make this government one that better reflects the country it serves. We will also be making sure that government jobs support economic growth throughout the country,” he added.