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HMRC’s Belfast Regional Centre and UK Government hub has been formally opened by Chris Heaton-Harris MP, secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
Located at Erskine House on Chichester Street, the site is one of HMRC’s 14 new regional centres across the UK. It first opened in December 2019, though its official opening was delayed due to the pandemic.
At the event, Heaton-Harris unveiled a plaque to an audience of civil servants, including Jim Harra, HMRC’s first permanent secretary and CEO.
Also in attendance at the eight-storey building were Angela MacDonald, HMRC’s deputy CEO and second permanent secretary, and Madeleine Alessandri, permanent secretary for the Northern Ireland Office.
The “modern, hi-tech” building is home to around 2,100 HMRC employees and more than 250 other civil servants. According to HMRC, the new site will allow the departments to “work in new ways, delivering an effective service for customers and providing a modern and collaborative working environment for staff”.
Joining HMRC at the 9,424m2 office are civil servants from the Northern Ireland Office, Competition and Markets Authority, Cabinet Office, Department for International Trade and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
Chris Heaton-Harris, secretary of State for Northern Ireland, said: “It is a real honour to officially open Erskine House today and I’m very pleased that the Northern Ireland Office is based at this great location in the heart of Belfast. Erskine House is simply a great place to work and fit for a modern Civil Service to deliver for the people of Northern Ireland.
“It is excellent to see regional UK Government hubs such as these rooted in the communities they serve, providing the benefits of close collaboration, and helping to create high quality job opportunities across all four UK nations.”
Jim Harra, HMRC’s CEO and first permanent secretary, added: “I am delighted to mark the opening of our Regional Centre and UK Government hub in Belfast. The modern development promotes an inclusive working environment and is an important part of HMRC’s transformation into a digitally-advanced tax authority.
“This UK Government Hub at Erskine House is home to a professional and vibrant civil service community working to deliver great services to our customers and I am happy to be in Belfast to mark the occasion.”
Belfast Regional Centre is a two-site location, with 300 other HMRC employees based in Carne House, Belfast.
