HC Deb 04 July 1974 vol 876 cc233-4W
Mr. Barry Henderson

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) when and by whom a decision was taken to delay by a year the planned opening of the Inland Revenue Computer Centre at Cumbernauld;

(2) when and how an announcement was made about the postponement of completion of the Inland Revenue Computer Centre at Cumbernauld; and whether the local authorities and Cumbernauld Development Corporation were informed;

(3) what were the administrative or policy reasons which have resulted in postponement of the opening of the Inland Revenue Computer Centre at Cumbernauld;

(4) when the Inland Revenue Computer Centre at Cumbernauld is due to be completed; whether it will be used for the purposes for which it was originally intended; and how many job opportunities will it provide.

Dr. Gilbert

The obtaining of a contract for work on the main building has been delayed, mainly through expenditure cuts. Officials have made attempts, involving discussions with the development corporation's architects, to find some alternative means of opening the centre in 1976, but this has not proved possible. The Inland Revenue has written formally to the development corporation to inform it that the centre will not become operational before 1977; and the matter recently received publicity in the local Press. The centre will be used for the purpose originally intended and will provide jobs for about 1,000, mostly recruited locally.