SEVERAL hundred civil service jobs are coming to York, the Evening Press can reveal today.

A Government Minister was this afternoon expected to announce the massive employment boost at Triune Court, a 30,000 square ft office development at Monks Cross.

The Evening Press understands that Triune Court may become one of a number of regional offices for a new Pensions Department.

York MP Hugh Bayley tabled a Parliamentary Question today to Work and Pensions Minister Alistair Darling, asking if he would make a statement about the siting and location of the next phase of the pension Service.

He told the Evening Press: "When I was a Minister, the Department of Social Security decided to take pensions away from the Benefits Agency and to create a new Pensions Service.

"I have always thought that York would be a good place to base one of its regional offices. I know the department will be making an announcement soon, and I will be listening with interest to see if York has been chosen."

It is understood that the York Inward investment Board has been working for the last six months, in conjunction with local developers.

The board was reluctant to release details in advance of the announcement.

But chief executive Paul Murphy confirmed that his team had been lobbying behind the scenes for many months.

He said: "When the full details are announced, it will be clear that York is one of only a small number of locations in the UK to win these new jobs. That is a great credit to all who have been involved."

He praised developers Hugh Ball and Peter Smith, of Monks Cross Partnership, for having the foresight to build speculatively in the area.

"Without the building, we would not have won the jobs - it's as simple as that," said Mr Murphy.

John Reeves, managing director of The Helmsley Group and spokesman for the Monks Cross Partnership, said a further 5,000 jobs could be created through a £60 million plan by the partnership to create a prestige offices on around 40 acres of land to the north of Monks Cross.

It is understood that some of the jobs will be filled by civil servants transferring to Monks Cross from elsewhere, while others may be filled by local recruitment.

Today's announcement makes it the third December out of four that the inward investment board has helped York won a huge pre-Christmas jobs boost.

December 1998 saw the arrival of CPP Card Protection Plan, which now employs 1,100 people on the site of the former York carriageworks, while December 2000 saw the arrival of American giants TSYS in Fulford Road, creating over 100 jobs.

"The timing is coincidental," said Mr Murphy, "but it has become something of a tradition - and the news is certainly a very welcome Christmas present."

Ryedale MP John Greenway said today: "It shows the foresight of the old Ryedale District Council in pressing ahead with Monks Cross. It's difficult to see how York could be expanding without it."

He also believed the new office would help prevent mistakes which were currently being made over state pensions.

Updated: 15:06 Tuesday, December 11, 2001