§ Mr. Stevensasked the Secretary to the Treasury if he will give particulars of the proposed closure of certain local offices of the collector of taxes.
§ Mr. Powell:The Board of Inland Revenue has decided, in the interests of economy and efficiency, to close 57 of the 325 local offices at present maintained 70W by the collectors of taxes and merge the areas covered by these offices with others. There will be an ultimate saving of about £60,000 in salary costs alone.
The proposals do not affect the service to the public provided by local offices of H.M. Inspectors of Taxes, who deal with the calculation of tax liabilities including individuals' liabilities under P.A.Y.E. and are the offices principally concerned with the inquiries of taxpayers.
The offices to be closed are at:
Bideford. Folkestone. Blackwood. Frome. Brecon. Gravesend. Bridgend. Grays. Bridlington. Great Yarmouth. Buxton. Hertford. Chippenham. Hexham. Colwyn Bay Huntingdon. Dewsbury. Keighley. Dover. Kendal. East Dereham. Leigh (Lancs.). Enniskillen. Lewes. Evesham. Llanelly. London 28 (Greenwich, Deptford and Charlton).
London 38 (Finchley and parts of Highgate).
London 45 (Limehouse, Shadwell and Wapping).
Loughborough. Rugby. Louth. Selby. Ludlow. Sittingbourne. Macclesfield. Skipton. Melton Mowbray. South Shields. Morpeth. Spalding. North Shields. Sudbury Northwich. Truro. Plymouth B. Wellingborough. Portmadoc. Wells. Portsmouth B. Welshpool. Retford. West Hartlepool Ripon. Woodford. Rotherham. Workington. All necessary information will be given locally at the appropriate time.