THE Government stands on the threshold of one of the more far-reaching decisions in the history of British domestic politics - whether to split up the long-established Whitehall structure.

The most powerful Bills of modern times have been drafted, thrashed out, agonised upon and honed in the corridors of the home of the Civil Service.

Countless Governments have worked alongside the civil servants residing within that institution.

Now, Tony Blair's Labour Government is a hair's breadth away from tearing it apart and dispersing departments about the country.

The rationale behind the move is simple. There is tacit recognition that London and the South-East are a magnet for money, jobs and, ultimately, prosperity. Young, talented professionals are drawn away from their native regions, leaving behind an imbalance of economic activity.

London and the South-East also have a high concentration of public sector jobs, which do not directly relate to the delivery of local public services in those regions.

Many of the jobs relate to the delivery of national or United Kingdom-wide functions, which, in theory, could be carried out just as easily from elsewhere in the UK.

Advances in information and communications technology in recent years have made this notion much more easy and accessible.

The Government wants to redress the imbalance.

Equally, it wishes to look at means by which to improve the delivery and efficiency of public services.

Chancellor Gordon Brown announced in April's budget that Sir Michael Lyons, director of the Institute of Local Government Studies at the University of Birmingham, would head up a review investigating the feasibility of devolving departments to the regions.

The Lyons Review has been collecting masses of data from across the country in order to make recommendations to the Government in November. It sits squarely with the agendas for modernising Government and reforming public services.

Ultimately, the Government wants to provide "higher quality services, which are more effective and efficient and provide better value for money for the taxpayer".

Since the Lyons Review was launched in June, Sir Michael has written to permanent secretaries and heads of Government departments calling for information.

Departments have been asked to supply details of activities and functions carried out in London and the South-East, as well as elsewhere in the country. They have also been invited to come forward with proposals for relocating blocks of activity away from London and the South-East.

The consultation will end on Friday.

It remains to be seen how ministers have taken to the review, and if, ultimately, the Government has the political will to take decision-making to the regions.