§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many Benefits Agency public caller offices are scheduled to(a) close and (b) have their opening hours reduced in order to reduce administrative costs in the three years to March 1999. [2118]
§ Mr. Roger EvansThis is a matter for Peter Mathison, chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Gordon Prentice, dated 11 November 1996:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State how many Benefits Agency (BA) public caller offices are scheduled to (a) close and (b) have their opening hours reduced in order to reduce administrative costs in the three years to March 1999.In the period April to October 1996 16 BA public caller offices were closed and 2 had their opening hours reduced. From November 1996 to March 1999, 17 BA public caller offices are currently scheduled to close and 3 are currently scheduled to have their opening hours reduced.Consultation with customers and customers' representatives always takes place before the closure of any BA public caller office.We are directing our resources to where they are needed most, and BA District Managers, using their local knowledge, will continue to review, on an on-going basis, the service they provide to maximise service to the public and provide value for money to the tax payer. Since the advent of Job Seekers' Allowance, unemployed customers also have access to enquiry facilities sited in over 1000 Employment Services Job Centres.I hope you find this reply helpful.