MORE than 1,200 York area civil servants face months of uncertainty before learning if their jobs are to be axed.

They are employed directly or indirectly by DEFRA in three offices and centres in Clifton Moor, Peasholme Green and Sand Hutton – and the Government department has to cut nearly a third of its national budget over the next four years, including £174 million in administration savings. York Outer MP Julian Sturdy saw Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman within hours of Wednesday’s Comprehensive Spending Review announcement and was told no decisions had been made on how many or when jobs will go, though she hopes to achieve reductions by natural wastage.

Mr Sturdy said: “My hope is the jobs to go will be based more in Whitehall than the ‘outposts’. The department is very determined to maintain the scientific and technical base within DEFRA and that will be very beneficial for York.”

He also hoped the savings drive would help North Yorkshire farmers by cutting red tape and paperwork they currently have to complete.

The FERA laboratories at Sand Hutton, part of DEFRA, employ 670 staff, Peasholme Green has 387 DEFRA staff, plus 49 working for Natural England and 14 for Animal Health. A further 144 work at the Environment Agency offices at Clifton Moor. The Government announced last week both the Environment Agency and Natural England will be substantially reformed, as will the Forestry Commission, also part of DEFRA, which employs many people in North Yorkshire.

Meanwhile, businesses across North Yorkshire will benefit after the county was chosen to pilot high-speed broadband internet access in rural areas, three MPs have said.

The county’s councillors, politicians and businessmen have long campaigned for better broadband access.

On Wednesday, the Chancellor announced four areas would pilot the introduction of high-speed broadband in rural areas, including North Yorkshire.

Mr Sturdy said parts of his constituency did not have internet access, despite being close to a city. He said: “Superfast broadband will not only bring first-time internet access to rural villages like Naburn, but also revolutionise local businesses thus encouraging growth and new job opportunities across the local private sector too.”

The initiative is understood to be funded by a BBC underspend in rolling out digital TV and is expected to build on the success of NYNet, the local authority scheme that provides broadband access to public sector services in the county.

Nigel Adams, MP for Selby and Ainsty said “I would like to congratulate the team at NYNet who put together such a strong bid and look forward to working with them in the future to help deliver superfast broadband.”