Local Revenue And Customs Offices Closure Must Stop

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 19th Jan 2007

Commenting on the Government's announcement of a consultation on the closure of the two HM Revenue and Customs offices in Chesterfield, Paul Holmes, Liberal Democrat MP for Chesterfield said:

"This is further bad news for Chesterfield following the devastating news on Tuesday that the GKN Engineering Plant is closing with the loss of 420 jobs. HM Revenue and Customs staff will either lose their jobs or be forced to take the costly and lengthy journey into Sheffield.

"Gordon Brown's badly thought out and short sighted cuts will cut the quality of service for the residents of Chesterfield. I have today tabled an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons calling for the Labour Government to rethink these cuts.

"Planners in Whitehall may think that the journey between Chesterfield and Sheffield is easy, but in reality local residents and HM Revenue and Customs staff will face expensive and difficult journeys.

"Previous attempts to relocate our medical assessment centre to Sheffield were thwarted when the Government were forced to accept that the quality and accessibility of local public services would be drastically reduced.

"I am determined to again convince the Government that Chesterfield must have its own public services."

The full text of Paul Holmes MP's Early Day Motion reads:

That this House notes with concern the proposals launched for consultation on Wednesday 17th January to reshape HM Revenue and Customs offices nationwide involving the closure of many offices; considers that the current distribution of HM Revenue and Customs offices provides a high quality accessible service to the public; believes that the closure of branches will necessitate increased journey distances with associated higher costs to the public and the environment;