HC Deb 15 July 1968 vol 768 cc1006-9
8. Mr. Eadie

asked the Minister of Social Security how many of her department's local offices were merged in 1967 and to the nearest available date in 1968; if she will list the areas concerned; and what further merging is planned for the current year.

The Minister of Social Security (Mrs. Judith Hart)

In 1967, offices of the former Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance and of the National Assistance Board were merged in five places, and in 1968 up to 30th June, in ten places. In addition, work was transferred from 40 former National Insurance offices to neighbouring offices in 1967 and from another 11 up to 30th June, 1968. With permission, I will circulate lists of these offices in the OFFICIAL REPORT. By the end of this year, we expect that some 50 to 60 more changes of both kinds will be made. I cannot be more precise because they depend on premises becoming available.

Mr. Eadie

Is my right hon. Friend certain that mergers which have taken place in the past and those which will take place in future have resulted in increased efficiency and not in too much inconvenience? What volume of correspondence has she had protesting about this matter?

Mrs. Hart

I can assure my hon. Friend that I have had no volume of protests at all from people affected by the closures, although I have had some discussion with one or two of his hon. Friends and with hon. Members opposite. What is sometimes not understood is that in almost all cases we keep open a caller office for the public. What is happening is that the backroom work is being merged. Since so many payments are now made by postal draft, this should have no substantial effect on the general public.

Mr. Wingfield Digby

In considering these closures, would the right hon. Lady bear in mind the special problems of travel in rural areas, where it is very difficult?

Mrs. Hart

I am intensely aware of these problems and I look very carefully at any proposals which affect the rural areas because of this point, which

FORMER OFFICES OF M.P.N.I. AND N.A.B. MERGED IN NEW PREMISES DURING 1967 AND BETWEEN 1ST JANUARY. 1968 TO 30TH JUNE, 1968
Region Year Former Offices Name of Merged Office
Northern 1968 Sunderland (Southwick) N.I.O. Sunderland North
Part of Sunderland (Pallion) N.I.O.
Sunderland (North) A.O
Sunderland (Gray Road) N.I.O. Sunderland South
Part of Sunderland (Pallion) N.I.O.
Sunderland East A.O.
Sunderland West A.O.
Yorkshire and Humberside 1968 Rotherham N.I.O Rotherham
Rotherham North A.O.
Rotherham South A.O.
London North 1968 Colchester N.I.O. and A.O. Colchester
Watford N.I.O. and A.O. Watford
London South 1968 Southwark North N.I.O. Southwark North
Bermondsey A.O.
South Western 1967 Bristol (Bishopston) N.I.O. Bristol (Horfield)
Part of Bristol (Central) A.O.
Part of Bristol (Eastville) A.O.
1968 Penzance N.I.O. and A.O. Penzance
Wales 1967 Merthyr Tydfil N.I.O. and A.O. Merthyr Tydfil
West Midlands 1967 Birmingham (South Yardley)N.I.O. Birmingham (South Yardley)
Birmingham South-East A.O.
North Western (Manchester) 1967 Ashton under Lyne N.I.O. and A.O. Ashton under Lyne
North Western (Merseyside) 1968 Widnes N.I.O. and A.O. Widnes
Scotland 1967 Bathgate N.I.O. and A.O. Bathgate
1968 Glasgow (Queens Park) N.I.O. Glasgow (South Side)
Glasgow (South Side) A.O.
Inverness N.I.O. and A.O. Inverness
FORMER NATIONAL INSURANCE OFFICES FROM WHICH BACKROOM WORK WAS TRANSFERRED TO NEIGHBOURING OFFICES DURING 1967 AND BETWEEN 1ST JANUARY, 1968 TO 30TH JUNE, 1968
Region Year Work Transferred From Work Transferred To
Northern 1967 Windermere … … … Kendal
Whitby … … … Scarborough
Guisborough … … … Redcar
Saltburn … … … Redcar
Loftus … … … Redcar
Appleby … … … Penrith
Washington … … … Sunderland North
1968 Alnwick … … … Part to Ashington
Part to Berwick
Morpeth … … … Ashington
Yorkshire and Humberside 1967 Driffield … … … Bridlington
1968 Rawmarsh … … … Rotherham
Dinnington … … … Rotherham
East Midlands and East Anglia 1967 Haverhill … … … Part to Bury St. Edmunds
Part to Braintree
Dereham … … … Norwich
Ashbourne … … … Derby
1968 Daventry … … … Northampton
London North 1967 Biggleswade … … … Bedford
Hoddesdon … … … Hertford
Rickmansworth … … … Watford
Maldon … … … Chelmsford
Plaistow … … … Canning Town
London South 1967 East Grinstead … … … Part to Crawley
Part to Tunbridge Wells
Kennington … … … Southwark North
Bermondsey … … …
London West 1967 Wallingford … … … Reading
South-Western 1967 Shepton Mallet … … … Bath
Shaftesbury … … … Dorchester
Kingsbridge … … … Plymouth
Minehead … … … Taunton
1968 Okehampton … … … Exeter

also afiects, I think, the constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Midlothian (Mr. Eadie).

Following are the lists:

Region Year Work Transferred From Work Transferred To
Wales 1967 Dowlais … … … Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Vale … … … Merthyr Tydfil
Rhosllancrchrugog … … … Wrexham
1968 Penarth … … … Part to Cardiff (Westgate Street)
Part to Cardiff (Newport Road)
Milford Haven … … … Haverfordwest
West Midlands 1967 Ludlow … … … Part to Shrewsbury
Part to Hereford
Evesham … … … Worcester
Rugby … … … Coventry
North-Western (Manchester) 1967 Stalybridge … … … Ashton-under-Lyne
Mossley … … … Ashton-under-Lyne
Shaw … … … Oldham
Royton … … … Oldham
Prestwich … … … Manchester (Cheetham Hill)
Middleton … … … Manchester (Cheetham Hill)
North-Western (Merseyside) 1967 Liverpool (Walton) … … … Bootle
1968 Kirkham … … … Blackpool
Runcorn … … … Widnes
Scotland 1967 Penicuik … … … Loanhead
Peebles … … … Galashiels
Strathaven … … … Hamilton
1968 Linlithgow … … … Bo'ness