§ 57. Mr. Irvineasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will reconsider, having regard to the employment position on Merseyside, the decision to close down the Departmental Claims Branch of the Inland Revenue in Liverpool.
§ 60. Mr. Bevinsasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the numbers of staff employed by the Departmental Claims Branch in Liverpool on 1st March, 1945, and 1st March, 1950, respectively; and whether, in view of the hardship involved in their transfer to Cardiff and of the fact that Merseyside is a development area, he still proposes to proceed with the transfer.
§ Sir S. CrippsThe Liverpool office of the Departmental Claims Branch was opened in October, 1945, with a staff of approximately 410. The number on 1st March, 1950, was about 450. I have considered afresh the proposal to move the work of this office to Cardiff and I am satisfied that, for the reasons which were explained by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary in reply to a question on 9th December, 1948, the decision to concentrate the work of this Branch of the Inland Revenue in Cardiff is the right one. The Board of Inland Revenue are taking every possible step to ensure that no unemployment or avoidable hardship is caused by the move.