§ 35. Mr. Harry GreenwayTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he is taking to improve relations between members of the public and executive agency offices not located geographically close to their 692 clients; and if he will make a statement. [14214]
§ Mr. GreenwayDoes my hon. Friend agree that it is difficult for my constituents to feel a personal relationship with the people in Glasgow, Blackpool and beyond who are dealing with their problems, particularly when they often seem to speak a different language? Can something be done to make the relationships more personal, to the advantage of my constituents as they deserve that?
§ Mr. HoramI hope that my hon. Friend was not talking about differences in accent, but about terminology and jargon. There is a problem in the link between distant centres and the local Benefits Agency offices, but we are trying to improve that through local customer surveys, visits by Benefits Agency staff to local libraries, health centres and community centres, a one-stop shop and improved opening hours. All those improvements are being put into the melting pot to try to improve the relationship. The National Audit Office said recently—I am not sure whether this relates to my hon. Friend's local office—that there had been an improvement in the relationship between the London district offices and the Glasgow and Blackpool centres as a result of those efforts.
§ Mr. EnrightIs the Minister aware that a constituent of mine rang up one of those agencies—situated in Belfast—to explain her problem, only to be told, "If you were living here, you would know what problems really were"?
§ Mr. HoramPerhaps in the first instance the hon. Gentleman's constituent should have gone to her local office. The staff there could then have rung Northern Ireland.