The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has confirmed they are "committed" to their offices remaining in the town.

Council Leader Joe Fagan said: “This is very good news for East Kilbride, and I am grateful that the FCDO have reconsidered their move away from the town following the discussions the council and the town’s MP have had with representatives of HM Government.

“We knew we had a strong case to retain these civil service posts in East Kilbride and we were confident that we were being listened to. The news today has confirmed both those things.

“We still need to understand the ramifications for this decision on the wider long-term civil service presence in the town but we will be delighted to continue our discussion with the government on this, and explore all long-term options to accommodate the civil service in East Kilbride.

“In the meantime, I am just glad to note that civil service jobs are part of East Kilbride's New Town history and they are now clearly part of our future too.”

A Government spokesperson said: “We’ve been clear that this government will take the difficult decisions, prioritising critical projects and ensuring that every penny of taxpayer’s money goes to where it is most needed.

“We remain committed to maintaining our presence in Scotland, however, this move is no longer financially viable. We will continue to further Britain’s interests at home and abroad from our joint headquarters in Abercrombie House.”