2024-02-072023/24:NU6 · p.3NUBusiness & energy
Localization of various functions
Follow-up on how agencies locate their different functions
What's at stake: How agencies distribute their functions between locations affects the state's presence and jobs outside Stockholm, and the question is whether this should be systematically monitored by the government or not.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The question is whether the government should continuously follow up on how agencies active in multiple locations choose to locate their different functions, or whether no new follow-up is needed.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee rejects the motion and sees no reason at this time to task the government with continuously following up on how agencies locate their different functions, citing ongoing efforts in the area.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 2 (S, V, MP)
The reservation (S, V, MP) wants the government to continuously follow up on how agencies active in multiple locations choose to locate their different functions, noting that the Swedish Agency for Government Employers' earlier follow-up on staff location by county has already been reported to the government.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 2 by S, V, MP.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
What each plan points to — and how the party voted
For each party: the vote its own election manifesto and party programme point to in this case, next to how the party actually voted. A plan can only point to Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| Plan | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | No 0/18/0/6 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| S | No | No 0/89/0/18 | follows the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| MP | No | No 0/11/0/7 | follows the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| C | No | Yes 20/0/0/4 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 11/0/0/5 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| KD | No | Yes 12/0/0/7 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| M | Yes | Yes 55/0/0/13 | follows the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| SD | No | Yes 62/0/0/10 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects motion 2023/24:29 by Fredrik Olovsson et al. (S) point 2.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motion 2023/24:29 av Fredrik Olovsson m.fl. (S) yrkande 2.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag has addressed a letter from the government concerning the Swedish National Audit Office's report on the establishment of agencies outside Stockholm. The Swedish National Audit Office's overall conclusion is that the government's localization of agencies in areas outside Stockholm during the period has partly lived up to the Riksdag's intentions. The Swedish National Audit Office assesses that the localization decisions have contributed a small but positive impact to regional development while the government's localization decisions have not jeopardized the agencies' ability to conduct their operations effectively in the long term. In its letter, the government largely concurs with the Swedish National Audit Office's observations. The government works continuously with the question of state presence throughout the country. An important starting point for the government is that agencies can conduct their operations effectively regardless of where they are located. This is something the government monitors within the framework of ongoing agency management. The Riksdag views positively that the government continuously works with the question of state presence throughout the country. With this, the Riksdag filed the government's letter with the records, that is, concluded the matter, and rejected the motions.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to continue relocating state agencies from Stockholm. (S, V, MP) — Reservation 2
Plan vs actual vote
Every party, in chamber order: what its own plan pointed to, how it voted, and the reasoning behind both. Highlighted rows are where the two differ — but a vote that follows the plan is a result too, so the reasoning is there for every party.
The plan demands that regional policy be pursued to reduce disparities and that economic planning take into account everyone's right to work and welfare in all parts of the country.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan demands that regional policy be pursued to reduce disparities and that economic planning take into account everyone's right to work and welfare in all parts of the country. Ongoing follow-up of how authorities with activities in multiple locations place their functions is a control tool for precisely that commitment. The plan says nothing about the ongoing work the committee refers to.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att regionalpolitiken drivs för att minska klyftorna och att den ekonomiska planeringen tar hänsyn till allas rätt till arbete och välfärd i landets alla delar. En löpande uppföljning av hur myndigheter med verksamhet på flera orter placerar sina funktioner är ett kontrollverktyg för just det åtagandet. Planen säger inget om det pågående arbete utskottet hänvisar till.
- reduce regional disparitiesdecisive»Regionalpolitiken ska därför drivas för att minska klyftorna.« (party programme ↗)“Regional policy should therefore be pursued to reduce disparities.”
- work across the country»allas rätt till arbete, utbildning och social välfärd i landets alla delar.« (party programme ↗)“everyone's right to work, education and social welfare in all parts of the country.”
- service across the country»Välfärden måste vara till för alla och finnas överallt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Welfare must be for everyone and exist everywhere.”
The plan requires the state's presence throughout the country and an even regional distribution of activities and knowledge centres.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires the state's presence throughout the country and an even regional distribution of activities and knowledge centres. Ongoing monitoring of where authorities place their functions is a control tool for that commitment and does not conflict with anything in the plan. However, the plan says nothing about monitoring methods, so the conclusion is based on the principle of regional equality.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver statlig närvaro i hela landet och en jämn regional spridning av verksamheter och kunskapscentra. En löpande uppföljning av var myndigheter placerar sina funktioner är ett kontrollverktyg för det åtagandet och strider inte mot något i planen. Planen säger dock inget om uppföljningsformer, varför slutsatsen bygger på den regionala jämlikhetsprincipen.
- state presence throughout the countrydecisive»Staten ska finnas närvarande i hela landet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The state shall be present throughout the country.”
- even regional distribution»en jämn spridning av kunskapscentra över hela landet.« (party programme ↗)“an even distribution of knowledge centres across the country.”
- the whole country shall live»Alla har ett gemensamt intresse av att hela landet kan leva och utvecklas.« (party programme ↗)“Everyone has a common interest in the whole country being able to live and develop.”
The plan has a decentralist basic view and requires that societal functions be available throughout the country and that state regulations function equally well for small municipalities as for large ones.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan has a decentralist basic view and requires that societal functions be available throughout the country and that state regulations function equally well for small municipalities as for large ones. Ongoing monitoring of where authorities with multiple locations place their functions is a means to follow up precisely this, but the plan does not address monitoring of government administration as such.
Original (Swedish)
Planen har en decentralistisk grundsyn och kräver att samhällsfunktioner finns tillgängliga över hela landet och att statliga regelverk fungerar lika bra för små kommuner som för stora. En löpande uppföljning av var myndigheter med flera verksamhetsorter placerar sina funktioner är ett medel för att kunna följa just detta, men planen behandlar inte uppföljning av myndighetsstyrning som sådan.
- state presence throughout the countrydecisive»Samhällsfunktioner som polis, arbetsförmedling och« (party programme ↗)“Societal functions such as police, employment agency and”
- decentralist basic view»Miljöpartiet har en decentralistisk grundsyn som« (party programme ↗)“The Green Party has a decentralist basic view which”
- equivalent conditions for municipalities»regelverk ska fungera lika bra för små kommuner som« (party programme ↗)“regulations shall function equally well for small municipalities as”
The election manifesto requires that public service is near and reliable throughout the country and notes that the presence of government agencies has decreased in many places.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto requires that public service is near and reliable throughout the country and notes that the presence of government agencies has decreased in many places. The party programme requires equivalent conditions for all parts of the country and the manifesto wants to make Sweden more transparent. An ongoing review of how government agencies place their functions in different places is a reasonable means for this and is therefore supported by the plan. The plan does not address the work the committee refers to.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet kräver att offentlig service är nära och pålitlig i hela landet och konstaterar att myndigheters närvaro minskat på många håll. Partiprogrammet kräver likvärdiga förutsättningar för alla delar av landet och manifestet vill göra Sverige mer transparent. En löpande uppföljning av hur myndigheter placerar sina funktioner på olika orter är ett rimligt medel för det och stöds därför av planen. Planen berör inte det arbete utskottet hänvisar till.
- public service nearbydecisive»Offentlig service ska vara nära och pålitlig i hela landet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Public service shall be near and reliable throughout the country.”
- government agency presence has decreased»På många håll har myndigheters närvaro och förståelse för människors livssituation minskat, vilket leder till lägre tillit.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“In many places the presence and understanding of government agencies for people's living situation has decreased, which leads to lower confidence.”
- equivalent conditions in the country»Alla delar av landet ska ges likvärdiga förutsättningar för utveckling och tillväxt.« (party programme ↗)“All parts of the country shall be given equivalent conditions for development and growth.”
- increased transparency»Sverige ska bli ännu mer transparent.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden shall become even more transparent.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan requires that state agencies are present in all parts of Sweden and that access to state services is secured throughout the country, and it values openness and scrutiny highly.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that state agencies are present in all parts of Sweden and that access to state services is secured throughout the country, and it values openness and scrutiny highly. Continuous follow-up of where agencies locate their functions is a means to follow this commitment. The plan says nothing about follow-up mandates in themselves, which is why the conclusion is weakly supported.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att statliga myndigheter finns närvarande i alla delar av Sverige och att tillgången till statlig service säkras i hela landet, och den värderar insyn och granskning högt. En löpande uppföljning av var myndigheter placerar sina funktioner är ett medel för att kunna följa detta åtagande. Planen säger inget om uppföljningsuppdrag i sig, varför slutsatsen är svagt underbyggd.
- agencies throughout the countrydecisive»statliga myndigheter ska finnas närvarande i alla delar av Sverige« (2022 manifesto ↗)“state agencies shall be present in all parts of Sweden”
- state services throughout the country»Tillgången till statlig service ska säkras i hela landet.« (party programme ↗)“Access to state services shall be secured throughout the country.”
- openness and scrutiny»Offentlighetsprincipen har en grundläggande betydelse för att förankra och fördjupa folkstyret,« (party programme ↗)“The publicity principle is of fundamental importance for anchoring and deepening popular governance,”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan makes evaluation, cost tracking and quality control important political tasks and states that the state is responsible for state services being accessible throughout Sweden.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan makes evaluation, cost tracking and quality control important political tasks and states that the state is responsible for state services being accessible throughout Sweden. The counter-proposal's requirement for ongoing monitoring of how authorities locate their functions is precisely such a monitoring tool and serves the goal that all of Sweden shall live.
Original (Swedish)
Planen gör utvärdering, kostnadsuppföljning och kvalitetskontroll till viktiga politiska uppgifter och slår fast att staten ansvarar för att den statliga servicen är tillgänglig i hela Sverige. Motförslagets krav på löpande uppföljning av hur myndigheter lokaliserar sina funktioner är just ett sådant uppföljningsinstrument och tjänar målet att hela Sverige ska leva.
- follow-up is a political taskdecisive»Utvärdering, kostnadsuppföljning och kvalitetskontroll är därför viktiga politiska« (party programme ↗)“Evaluation, cost tracking and quality control are therefore important political”
- state services throughout the country»den statliga servicen är tillgänglig i hela Sverige.« (party programme ↗)“state services are accessible throughout Sweden.”
- all of Sweden shall live»Målet är att hela Sverige ska leva« (party programme ↗)“The goal is that all of Sweden shall live”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan says nothing about monitoring where agencies place their functions.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan says nothing about monitoring where agencies place their functions. Its agency policy is aimed at freeing up resources, shortening processing times and combating public waste, which speaks against a new ongoing reporting requirement without clear benefit. The position is therefore derived from the closest principle and uncertain.
Original (Swedish)
Planen säger inget om uppföljning av var myndigheter placerar sina funktioner. Dess myndighetspolitik inriktas på att frigöra resurser, korta handläggningstider och bekämpa offentligt slöseri, vilket talar mot ett nytt löpande rapporteringskrav utan tydlig nytta. Ställningstagandet är därför härlett ur närmast liggande princip och osäkert.
- effektivisera myndigheternadecisive»Inrätta ett effektiviseringskansli som ska gå inom alla myndigheters ekonomi för att frigöra resurser till försvaret« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Establish an efficiency office that shall go within all agencies' finances to free up resources for defense”
- bekämpa offentligt slöseri»Offentligt slöseri i alla former ska bekämpas.« (party programme ↗)“Public waste in all forms shall be combated.”
- effektiv förvaltning»Korta myndigheternas handläggningstider genom en bortre tidsgräns« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Shorten government agencies' processing times through an outer deadline”
The plan sees potential in delocalizing more government jobs to smaller towns and demands a policy for all of Sweden where the whole country lives.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan sees potential in delocalizing more government jobs to smaller towns and demands a policy for all of Sweden where the whole country lives. It also demands clear results and follow-up of every public initiative. Ongoing follow-up of how government agencies localize their functions is therefore a tool the plan supports.
Original (Swedish)
Planen ser potential i att utlokalisera fler myndighetsjobb till mindre orter och kräver en politik för hela Sverige där hela landet lever. Den kräver också tydliga resultat och uppföljning av varje offentlig satsning. En löpande uppföljning av hur myndigheter lokaliserar sina funktioner är därför ett verktyg planen stöder.
- delocalization of government jobsdecisive»Sverigedemokraterna ser potential för att utlokalisera fler myndighetsjobb till mindre orter men det främsta verktyget för tillväxt och jobb på landsbygd är enklare regler och möjligheter för landsbygden att växa.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Sweden Democrats see potential for delocalizing more government jobs to smaller towns but the primary tool for growth and jobs in rural areas is simpler rules and opportunities for rural areas to grow.”
- policy for all of Sweden»Bedriva en politik för hela Sverige« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Conduct a policy for all of Sweden”
- follow-up of initiatives»Begära tydliga resultat för varje offentlig satsning« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Demand clear results for every public initiative”
- the whole of Sweden shall live»Principen om att hela Sverige skall leva är mycket viktig för Sverigedemokraterna.« (party programme ↗)“The principle that the whole of Sweden shall live is very important to the Sweden Democrats.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2023/24:NU6)
- Committee report full text (HB01NU6)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2023/24:1023 — Återgång till en aktiv politik för statlig närvaro i hela landet av Kalle Olsson och Anna-Caren Sätherberg (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:1128 — En statlig myndighet i Halland av Helena Storckenfeldt och Lars Püss (båda M)
- Motion 2023/24:113 — Omlokalisering av statliga myndigheter av Margareta Cederfelt (M)
- Motion 2023/24:1358 — En kommunpolitik för hela landet av Lars Isacsson m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1359 — Högre utbildning för hela landet av Lars Isacsson m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:144 — Statlig närvaro i Dalarna av Mathias Bengtsson (KD)
- Motion 2023/24:1571 — Myndigheter till Halland av Adnan Dibrani och Jennie Nilsson (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:1653 — Flytt av Livsmedelsverket och Tullverket till Skåne av Niels Paarup-Petersen (C)
- Motion 2023/24:1874 — Statliga jobb och statlig service i hela landet av Amanda Lind m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:2551 — Omlokalisering av statlig myndighet till Blekinge av Heléne Björklund och Magnus Manhammar (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:2685 — Utgiftsområde 1 Rikets styrelse av Ida Karkiainen m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:29 — med anledning av skr. 2022/23:125 Riksrevisionens rapport om etablering av myndigheter utanför Stockholm av Fredrik Olovsson m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:775 — Statlig myndighet till Halland av Larry Söder (KD)
- Motion 2023/24:947 — Omlokalisering av statliga arbetstillfällen till Gävleborg av Kristoffer Lindberg (S)
- Regeringens skrivelse 2022/23:125 — Riksrevisionens rapport om etablering av myndigheter utanför Stockholm
Source: The Swedish Parliament