§ The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Alan Johnson)On 29 June, following on from the announcements in the Budget, my predecessor gave an update to the House on the progress of the DWP efficiency programme which will reduce my Department's workforce by 30,000 by 2008.
179WSThe June statement highlighted that Jobcentre Plus was reviewing the scope to increase the efficiency of its benefits processing by reducing the number of sites in which this work is carried out. He also announced that, as part of their programme to modernise benefit processing and contact centre operations, Jobcentre Plus will take on six pensions centres.
I can today announce that:
Subject to further detailed planning benefit processing will be centralised in 81 sites by 2008. I would like to make it clear that 37 sites will cease to be viable and will close altogether as a direct consequence of centralisation. Not all jobs will go with many transferring elsewhere. In those sites not named for closure there is continued Jobcentre Plus activity and their future will be determined in the normal way as part of the rollout of the Jobcentre Plus network.As part of the Jobcentre Plus roll-out strategy Jobcentre Plus Direct (which provides an initial telephone contact service for customers) will deliver services through 23 contact centres by 2006. This will involve moving work from a number of existing locations within the Jobcentre Plus network and will result in the closure of three sites where contact centre work is currently undertaken; Provan, Banbury and Milton Keynes.In line with the Lyons Review, which recommended relocating some public sector activities away from London and the South East, Employer Services Direct will close two of its 11 Employer Direct sites, in Portsmouth and Bromley, by Summer 2005. Work will be moved to other sites.Staff in all affected sites are being briefed by their managers today. We continue to consult with the trade unions. We have already outlined to them our policy proposals for handling these changes.
The changes I am announcing today are the latest component of our continuing modernisation programme that will lead to more efficient and effective services for our customers.
180WS
Benefits centralisation sites Region Processing sites Site closures East of Engalnd Basildon, Great Oaks House Bury St. Edmunds, St.
Andrews House
Luton, Cheviot House
Norwich, Baltic House
Peterborough, Clifton House
Watford, Exchange House
Braintree, Panfield Lane Southend, Victoria House
Stevenage, Brickdale
House SSO
East Midlands Chesterfield Jobcentre Derby, Becket Street
Leicester, Wellington Street
Lincoln, Orchard House SSO
Mansfield SSO
Nottingham Pension Centre
Wellingborough SSO
Worksop, Crown House North East Newcastle, Cobalt House Stockton Pension Centre
Sunderland, Wearview House
Bishop Auckland SSO North West Liverpool, Belle Vale Birkenhead, Horden House
Blackpool, Marton Mere
Bolton, Elizabeth House
Burnley, Brun House
Carlisle, Rufus House
Chester, Chantry Chorlton
Huyton, Edendale House
Hyde, Beech House
Oldham, Phoenix House
Preston, Barry House
St. Helens, Gregson House
Bury, Humphrey House SSO
Kirkby, Webster House
SSO
Rochdale, Newgate
House
Salford, Aldine House
SSO
Salfrod, Baskerville
House SSO
Scotland Bathgate SSO Clydebank SSO
Coatbridge SSO
Glasgow (site tbc)
Greenock Jobcentre Plus
Coatbridge Jobcentre Hamilton SSO
Kircaldy SSO
Perth SSO
Inverness SSO Kilmarnock SSO
Springburn SSO
South East Broadstairs Canterbury
Cosham
Dover
Hastings Child Support
Agency Centre
Milton Keynes
Newport (IoW)
Ramsgate Totton SSO
Ashford, Kent House Jobcentre
Chatham, Brook House
Jobcentre
Sittingbourne Jobcentre
Tunbridge Wells SSO
South West Bournemouth, Cotlands Road Bristol East, Lodge House
Chippenham, St. Pauls
Gloucester, Cedar House
Plymouth
St. Austell, Carlyon House
Bath, somerset Hall Jobcentre
Bristol, St. Catherine's
House SSO
Cheltenham SSO
Trowbridge SSO
Weston Super Mare,
Carlton House
Wales Caerphilly, Crown Buildings Llanellie, Crown Buildings
Myrthyr Tydfil. Block 3
Abermorlais
Newport, Sovereign House
Swansea, Oldway House
Wrexham Pension Centre
Aberystwyth SSO Barry SSO
Cardiff, Eastgate House
Carmarthen, John Street
SSO
Neath, Percival House
SSO
Rhyl SSO Wrexham
DMO
West Midlands
Cannock SSO Handsworth
Hanley SSO
Perry Barr SSO
Ravenshurst SSO
Wolverhampton Pension
Centre Worcester
Dudley SSO Longton Jobcentre
Northfield SSO
Shrewsbury, Whitehall
SSO
Walsall, Glebe Street SSO
Washwood Heath SSO
West Bromwich SSO
Yorkshire & Humberside
Barnsley SSO Bradford East SSO
Doncaster SSO
Halifax, Crossfield House
Hull, Oriel House
Leeds, Eastgate House
Sheffield, Hartshead Square
York SSO
London Balham Belfast Benefit Centre
Glasgow Benefit Centre
Hackney
Ilford
Makerfield Benefit Centre
Stratford
Notes: SSO—Social Security Office. DMO—District Management Office.