Truss accelerates Northern HQ plans as part of levelling up agenda

• UK Trade and Investment North will drive economic growth and prosperity in the North of England and offer high-value,high quality jobs.
• 100 vacancies advertised for the Darlington site, with the aim of over 500 roles being present by 2030.
• One of the department’s five directors general to be based permanently in Darlington.

DIT is accelerating its recruitment efforts for UK Trade and Investment North in Darlington, in a move that will bring economic growth and senior, high quality roles to the North of England.

International Trade Secretary Liz Truss is opening four UK Trade and Investment offices as part of the government’s levelling up agenda that will ensure that the whole of the UK benefits from our global trade policy. In addition to UK Trade and Investment North, which will be based at the new HMG Economic Campus in Darlington, the department is actively recruiting for its UK Trade and Investment offices in Belfast, Cardiff, and Edinburgh.

100 vacancies have been advertised for UK Trade and Investment North since June and five Senior Civil Servants will be based there from September, including one of the department’s five directors general, Jo Crellin. The department aims to have over 500 roles present in Darlington by 2030.

International Trade Secretary Liz Truss said:

“I’m determined for our independent trade policy to bring jobs and opportunities to every part of the UK.

“By creating a more investment and export-led economy we can address geographic inequality and boost growth across the nations and regions.

“More trade means more jobs, more opportunities and more vibrant local areas - that is what our UK Trade and Investment Offices will help deliver.”

As DIT’s second major site outside London, UK Trade and Investment North will offer a broad range of high-value jobs at various Civil Service grades to ensure new joiners can see suitable career prospects and promotion opportunities outside of Whitehall.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said:

“Securing the government’s Northern Economic Campus for Darlington was a huge coup for our region and we are already feeling the benefits.

“As a globally trading region Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool have always looked outwards to the rest of the world, so there is no better place for Trade and Investment North to be set up.

“The jobs that are being created mean local people can forge a well-paid rewarding career at the heart of government without having to leave the region they love and call home.”

The UK Trade and Investment offices will play a central role in attracting investment into local areas, providing a greater level of support to local businesses; encouraging them to broaden their horizons and priming them for success in major markets like India, the US and Japan.

Through strategic, high-level investments such as Nissan’s £1 billion expansion in Sunderland, which has created 1,650 jobs; the Office for Investment – a joint initiative with the Prime Minister’s Office – will work alongside the UK Trade and Investment offices to deliver investment and jobs in every UK nation and region.

The UK Trade and Investment offices will also boost the number of export-related jobs across the UK and unlock the economic potential of areas outside of London. Government-led research estimates that jobs directly and indirectly supported by exports pay 7% higher than the national median, with Office for National Statistics estimating that goods exporting businesses are also 21% more productive.

550 DIT staff are expected to be present in Darlington, Edinburgh, Belfast, and Cardiff by 2025, with an ambition to increase this to 750 staff by 2030.

Notes to Editors:

• UK Trade and Investment North will be based at the new HMG Economic Campus, co-locating with teams from HMT, BEIS, MHCLG, and the Office for National Statistics.
• Previously, most senior Civil Service roles have been based in London. But as part of the Places for Growth programme, which is moving Civil Service roles out of London, 50% of senior jobs will be based at other locations across the UK.
• The UK Government’s Places for Growth programme has already announced thousands of other Civil Service roles are being moved out of London to cities such as Belfast, Stoke and Edinburgh as part of the push to move government services closer to the public they serve.