Carlisle’s MP has urged the Prime Minister to consider relocating Government offices to the city.

Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons yesterday, Carlisle MP John Stevenson called on Boris Johnson to consider the relocation of a segment of the Government’s civil service to the city.

He argued that this would work towards the 'levelling up' agenda that the Government is promoting to allegedly rebalance the nation away from a London-centric economy.

Mr Stevenson referenced the pressure on housing and services such as public transport in London and the South East and argued that were a Government department – or part of one – be moved to Carlisle, it could contribute towards this rebalancing.

Were the Government to partially or completely disperse across the country the considerable civil service workers that keep each Ministry going, it is argued that this would encourage rapid economic growth in each of the regions which were then receiving a Government department.

An added benefit would be that it would contribute towards relieving some of the major pressure currently faced by housing and services in London and the South East of England.

Mr Stevenson said in his question to the Prime Minister yesterday that “two of the Government’s central policies are levelling up and housing."

He added: “Carlisle and Cumbria needs further infrastructure investment, but it does have the capacity for increased housing development, especially with the garden village to the south of Carlisle.

“The Government therefore has the opportunity to help with both its levelling up agenda while reducing the strain on housing in the south of England.”

“To achieve this, the Government could move parts of Government departments out of London to the provinces – but not Manchester and Leeds.

“Would the Prime Minister therefore let me know when he proposes to move a Government department to Carlisle?”

The Prime Minister responded that he will “certainly look with interest” at Mr Stevenson’s suggestion.

“We do have an ambitious programme to unite and level up across our country,” Mr Johnson said.

The Prime Minister added that he has had “at least one very happy night out in Carlisle, and I know it’s a wonderful place."