A STUDY aimed at closing the North-South divide by moving thousands of civil service jobs out of London has concluded most of the North East is suitable only for call centre and clerical jobs.

The analysis, by property consultants King Sturge, has picked Middlesbrough, Stockton, Sunderland, Newcastle and North Tyneside as good locations for public sector staff.

But only Newcastle is recommended as an alternative for the highly-prized and highly-paid jobs - those in policy-making and science.

The report also puts paid to hopes that Darlington could be home to a new Government department under the plan to devolve civil service functions to the regions.

The town is not even mentioned in the report which is expected to form the basis of recommendations to the Government.

According to King Sturge, Middlesbrough is suitable for "interactive call centres", such as queries to the NHS Direct hotline and Inland Revenue helpline.

Sunderland, Stockton and North Tyneside are all recommended for both basic and interactive call centre jobs and for clerical employment.

Gateshead is not recommended for any category of jobs.

Further south, both York and Harrogate have also missed out on a recommendation, probably because unemployment - one of the criteria used - is much lower.

The analysis was immediately attacked by Dari Taylor, Labour MP for Stockton South, who said the focus on Newcastle made her "bloody furious".

Ms Taylor said: "I don't know what we need to do to persuade people that they don't have to go to Newcastle and that it would be better for the region if the jobs were spread around.

"Newcastle is crowded and land is tight, while down here we have more space. And the idea that it has a better skills base is totally unfounded."

Chancellor Gordon Brown has pledged at least 20,000 public sector jobs will move, to ease pressures in the capital and boost economic growth in the North.

The King Sturge study analysed 102 towns and cities, with a population greater than 100,000, outside London and its wider region.

The criteria used included unemployment, average earnings, catchment population, office stock, office rents and empty government buildings.

Sir Michael Lyons, the former academic carrying out the review for the Chancellor, is expected to lean heavily on the King Sturge analysis in making his recommendations. His report has already been delayed from last autumn because of the reluctance of civil servants to agree to a move. It is now expected to be published in March.

A Treasury spokesman said: "The study by King Sturge will be one source that the Lyons Review will draw on, but will not be the only one."

Darlington Borough Council put forward proposals outlining reasons why the town would be an ideal home for a government department and The Northern Echo backed the authority case by launching its Devolve to Darlington campaign.

Last night, council leader John Williams said: "Clearly we are disappointed. A lot of hard work had been put in by the council and all of our partners in putting together a strong bid.