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The Cabinet Office has said it expects the new government hub planned for York to open in 2027 and confirmed that the base will host a range of officials including national security vetting staff.

Departmental parliamentary secretary Alex Burghart told MPs that the Cabinet Office had yet to finalise a location for the new hub. But he expressed confidence that the move would take place within the next five years.

The pledge came during Cabinet Office questions in parliament last week, after York Central MP Rachael Maskell asked when the city could expect its anticipated hub to be delivered.

“The Cabinet Office as a department is committed to growth in York and Cabinet Office jobs, including United Kingdom Security Vetting are likely to move to a new hub in York in 2027,” Burghart said. “We’re actively considering options on the location.”

UK Security Vetting – which is in the midst of delivering a transformation programme – is currently based at Imphal Barracks in York.

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Earlier in the session, Burghart was asked for a progress update on the hubs programme.

“I’m delighted to confirm that good progress is being made,” he said. “Phase one has been completed by HMRC, delivering 14 hubs across the UK – two in Scotland and one each in Wales and Northern Ireland.

“Phase two, led by the Government Property Agency, opened one hub last year in Birmingham. Further hubs are now being delivered outside of London in locations such as Bristol, Stoke and Peterborough.”

Phase two of the government hubs programme is due to deliver 17 multi-department buildings over the course of the current spending review period, which runs until 2024-25.

According to this summer’s Government Property Strategy, a further phase could result in the delivery of an additional 50 hubs by the end of the decade.

Last week, Manchester City Council said it was keen to see a government hub delivered as part of the redevelopment of a former retail park to the north-east of the city centre.

Plans for two new government hubs in the city have already been confirmed so far this year – a base for Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport staff in Marble Street and another hub at First Street, which is due to open in 2025.

HMRC moved into its new Greater Manchester hub earlier in the year. It is at 3 New Bailey in Salford, just across the River Irwell from Manchester city centre.