A LEADING property developer has called on the Government to live by its own words and relocate the House of Commons to the North-East.

With public spending cuts expected to bite in the new year, John Orchard, director of Marchday Group, which owns the Lingfield Point business park in Darlington, said that by closing the doors of the House of Commons and relocating, the Government could make huge savings.

The House of Commons’ figures show that it costs £208m a year for the eight acres of accommodation, operating costs and security, not including MPs’ salaries or administration costs.

Marchday, which also owns New Lodge, in Windsor, and Cavendish Square, in central London, said that developments such as Lingfield Point were available at a fraction of the price.

Although Mr Orchard admitted his campaign was tongue-in-cheek, there was a serious message behind it.

He said: “This isn’t about making political points, it is a moral issue. We want the people in charge to think about the human cost of the proposals on the table and how easily some of the effects could be mitigated.

“The Palace of Westminster is very costly to run and maintain.

Obviously, there are cheaper places to be based.

“Okay, this is a tongue-incheek poke at the Government, but with several serious points behind it.

“In the past few years, the Government has commissioned two reports into devolving civil service jobs to the regions, the Lyons Report and the Smith Review, and yet very little changed as a result.

“News reports have made it clear how hard some of the poorest areas of England will be hit by the planned spending cuts and this is a great opportunity to resurrect this idea.

“The Government is asking everybody else to face the harsh realities that cuts will bring – it needs to take a topdown lead-by-example approach.”