Conservative MPs attack Government for plans to close dozens of local jobcentres

MPs accused the DWP of using Google Maps to close the jobcentres

Jobcentres are set to close or move across the country (Getty)

Conservative MPs have turned on the Government over plans to close their local jobcentres to save money.

The Department for Work and Pensions was accused of using Google Maps to pick jobcentres to shut down by MPs angry at the plans, which were announced last week.

Unemployed people will be forced to travel further to sign on after the Department for Work and Pensions announced plans to close 78 local Jobcentres across the country.

The Government claims it needs fewer offices to cover the whole country because people tend to submit their claims for benefits online. However, unemployed claimants are still required to attend Jobcentres at least every two weeks, with the Government having trialled weekly sign-ons and even more intensive daily sign-ons.

Calder Valley’s Conservative MP Craig Whittaker said the plan was a “disaster”.

“To relocate our jobcentre uphill and downdale out of the constituency will be a disaster to those longterm unemployed that rely on it for job advice and training,” told the minister.

“Can my honourable friend assure me that those that have put forward these proposals have indeed visited places like the Calder Valley to understand the demographics and the geography or have they just sat in their offices in Whitehall using Google Maps?”

Tory DWP minister Caroline Nokes replied: “This is not an exercise using Google Maps – this is an exercise that we have engaged in over a number of months to use the best of our DWP estate.”

Other Conservative MPs hit out at the proposals. Jame Berry, MP for Rossindale and Darwen said the Government appeared to be in “La La Land”.

“It’s all very well to talk about jobcentres in London but in rural Lancashire my constituents in Edgeworth will have to travel over an hour to get to Blackburn if we close the Darwen jobcentre,” he warned.

“They are supremely hardworking and supremely successful and anyone who thinks you can get from Edgeworth to Darwen in 23 minuets is living in La La Land.”

Conservative MP Philip Davies called for the minister to “look again” at the plans and said his jobcentre in Shipley had “an excellent local rapport with the Salvation Army who are situated right next door”.

Labour and SNP MPs also criticised the policy. Labour MP Luciana Berger said all three of the jobcentres that were open in her constituency in 2010 will have closed if the plans go ahead.

DWP minister Caroline Nokes defended the closures (House of Commons)

“In 2010 I had three jobcentres in my constituency. Old Swan was closed by her department at the start of 2010 and now she wants to close the other two in Edge Hill and Wavertree,” she said.

“My constituency has the 39th highest unemployment level in our country. Why does she want to make it harder for the 2,950 people who want to access support and who will have to pay £8.80 in order to do so?”

Labour’s shadow work and pensions minister Margaret Greenwood said disabled people would be hit by the increased travel time.

“Accessibility is a major issue for many disabled people. The Government said it plans to halve the disability employment cap in this parliament – how do the closures fit with that aim?” she said.

“We are particularly concerned about the impact on women, children, and people with disabilities. Will the Government publish an assessment of the impact of this policy on equality issues?

“Will the Government delay its plan to reduce its estate until it has a clear idea of the impact of Universal Credit? These plans are simply not through and will have a damaging impact on the way that employment is provided.”

The DWP says the jobcentres are underoccupied and that moving them will save money.