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Select committee: Scottish Affairs Committee

Jobcentre Plus closures in Scotland one-off session

Closed Opened 23 Jan 2017 Closed 3 May 2017

Scottish Affairs Committee Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗

Inquiry scope (the committee's words)
The Committee holds a one off session on planned closures to Jobcentre Plus offices in Scotland. The session aims to clarify Department for Work and Pensions plans to close up to 8 Jobcentre Plus offices in Glasgow, and the news that this will be extended to the rest of Scotland and the UK. The Committee asks the Minister of State for Employment, Damian Hinds, to clarify his plans and set out how he reached the decision.

Where it stands

The inquiry is closed, opened 23 January 2017.

The committee has published 1 report, most recently 3rd Report - Jobcentre Plus closures in Scotland on 26 April 2017.

The government's response

Published 17 October 2017.

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The government sets out the reasons for its jobcentre estate changes in Scotland and responds to each recommendation, stating in one case that there are "no current plans to revisit jobcentre provision in Glasgow".

  • On the call for a full evaluation of Glasgow provision, it says there are "no current plans to revisit" it. It states that it is opening a large new city centre office, including an employability centre, alongside "10 full jobcentres" retained.
  • On phased announcements, it explains that the "argument for phased communication was outweighed by the need to protect our commercial position, on behalf of the taxpayer".
  • On consultation, it says public consultations were run on around 30 sites outside the Ministerial Criteria, although "this was not a specific requirement". It says this led to Glasgow retaining one jobcentre previously proposed for closure.
  • On mitigation for claimants, it says work coaches will discuss travel issues and that concerns "will continue to be considered on an individual basis". It also states that it does not "expect our plans to result in additional sanctions".

Read the government's response ↗ Report an error

Reports

All reports

Evidence

  • 1 oral evidence sessionLatest 8 February 2017
All evidence

Recent activity

Reports

1 report

Oral evidence sessions

1 session

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Date Session and witnesses Source
8 Feb 2017
Oral evidence session
No witnesses recorded 		View ↗