THE high cost of a proposed transfer of up to 2500 Department of the

Environment civil servants to Docklands in London has been suppressed,

Labour claimed yesterday.

The Shadow Environment Secretary, Mr Jack Straw, said that Ministers

had now realised this move was no longer a ''bargain'' for the taxpayer.

The Environment Department declined to comment, and said the issue was

''commercially sensitive''.

Mr Straw said he had written to the Environment Secretary, Mr Michael

Howard, calling for full disclosure of his proposals.

''I now understand that a personal minute sent recently by Mr Howard

to the Prime Minister poses grave doubts on the earlier claim that the

move would be a bargain for the taxpayer.I am asking him to confirm that

the latest figures show the cost to taxpayers would be between #130m and

#200m.''