THE UK Government looks set to bring more jobs to Newport after the Ministry of Justice announced it would create 500 new jobs in Wales.

A batch of regional Ministry of Justice (Moj) offices are to be opened across Wales as part of the UK Government’s ‘levelling-up’ scheme.

The jobs will expand the MoJ’s presence in Newport, Cardiff and Swansea, with additional roles in North Wales.

Seven Justice Collaboration Centres will be launched alongside a series of satellite offices as the government’s Places for Growth programme continues to move civil service roles out of London and closer to the communities it serves.

The scheme will ensure the public sector utilises the vast array of talent across England and Wales, with 22,000 roles moving out of the capital by 2030.

Almost 70 per cent of the MoJ workforce is already based outside of London and the South East, and this move will see more than 2,000 more roles in areas like finance, human resources and digital move out by 2030, with 500 of those heading to Wales.

Deputy prime minister, lord chancellor and secretary of state for justice Dominic Raab, said: “This government is committed to spreading opportunity more equally across communities and tackling regional inequalities.

“By having more of our staff based outside London we can recruit the best people wherever they live so that the justice system benefits from more diverse backgrounds, outlooks and experience.” 

Secretary of state for Wales, Simon Hart, said: “Our key aim is to level up all areas of the UK and that commitment includes providing more jobs and opportunities within the UK Government.

“We want to make full use of the talent and potential of the Welsh workforce and moving hundreds of roles to Wales will help us achieve that objective.

“We have hugely ambitious plans for Wales which will deliver growth and innovation in the years to come and relocating more civil service roles is part of that package.”