§ Mr. MacDonaldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the number and location of Benefits Agency, Child Support Agency, Contributions Agency, the Information Technology Services Agency, Resettlement Agency, War Pensions Agency offices closed and the number of jobs lost or transferred as a result of agency work transferring from Scotland to the rest of the United Kingdom over the past five years and the number and location of offices opened and jobs gained in Scotland as the result of agency work transferring to Scotland from the rest of the United Kingdom over the same period. [20263]
§ Mr. HagueThe Benefits Agency opened the Glasgow benefit office in August 1989 and over the following 18 months 831 posts were gained as a result of work transferring from the rest of the United Kingdom. The central office for Scotland was closed in March 1992. During the 18–month run-down period the majority of posts were redistributed within Scotland and approximately 50 posts transferred to Leeds.
The Child Support Agency opened an agency center—CSAC—at Falkirk during 1993. As at the end of February 1995, the CSAC had a total of 721 posts dealing with new work created following the Child Support Act 1991.
595WOver the last four years, the Contributions Agency has centralised some work at Newcastle while maintaining a local presence for face-to-face contact with customers. This has entailed some posts transferring to Newcastle from around the United Kingdom. Exact figures for posts transferring from Scotland to Newcastle could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
The Information Technology Services Agency, the Resettlement Agency and the War Pensions Agency have not transferred any work between Scotland and the rest of the UK.