§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff there were at each tax office in South Yorkshire(a) at the latest date, (b) 12 months ago and (c) 24 months ago; and if he will make a statement on the causes of changes in the numbers employed at each office.
§ Mr. DorrellThe numbers of staff in post at the relevant dates are shown in the table.
This table compares the staff-in-post position for all offices—excluding the Valuation Office, which has agency status—within the geographical boundary of Inland Revenue South Yorkshire executive office. Because of the large number of locations involved, some summarising has been necessary. It has not been practicable to look at reasons behind the changes in numbers of staff on an office-by-office basis.
During these two years, part of Inland Revenue London head office has been transferred to Nottingham. Three offices set up in Nottingham and Barnsley during 1991 –92 to deal with expected claims for repayment of composite rate tax have been closed—this work has now been concentrated into just five offices outside SYEO. Following the closures of these offices, PAYE work was moved from other offices in SYEO to Barnsley to provide work for otherwise surplus staff. Almost all trust work has been brought together into two large offices, one in Nottingham. SYEO has carried out an efficiency scrutiny of typing and secretarial services resulting in a reduction in the number of posts. The remaining posts have been reorganised into a separate service unit.
Also over the two years, a number of procedural changes in tax office work, including for example the simplification of PAYE end of year work, have contributed to further changes in staff numbers.
111W
Regional Executive Office/Towns 1 June 1992 Total staff 1 June 1993 Total staff 1 June 1994 Total staff Melton Mowbray 51 46 42 Newark 66 56 55 Nottingham 596 527 518 Pontefract 68 59 61 Retford 45 40 40 Rotherham 80 75 73 Sheffield 489 767 757 Shipley 190 182 164 Spalding 60 53 52 Wakefield 77 77 70 Accounts Office Shipley 1,138 1,163 1,064 Other Executive Offices/Head Office 631 1,117 1,260 Grand Total 6,993 7,282 7,154