JOBCENTRE PLUS CLOSURES

That this House notes with concern the Jobcentre Plus announcement of the closure of five contact centres at Caerphilly, Clydebank, Grimsby, Liverpool and Preston and 17 benefit processing centres in Arbroath, Ayr, Broadstairs, Cannock, Carlisle, Castleford, Chester, Exeter, Halifax, Hartlepool, Huyton, Lincoln, Luton, Mansfield, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Southampton and Yeovil; further notes that these closures threaten 2,400 jobs; believes that with unemployment standing at 2.5 million, now is the worst time to make cuts to services that will affect the time taken in paying unemployed people the benefits to which they are entitled and reliant upon for an income; further notes that the Office for Budget Responsibility has predicted that unemployment levels will continue to increase in 2012; and calls on the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to reconsider this decision and commit to discussing this decision with trade unions representing Jobcentre Plus staff under threat of losing their jobs.