Hundreds of workers facing uncertainty over their future as the Department for Work and Pensions prepares to close North East offices should be redeployed to Social Security Scotland, an MSP has argued.
We revealed in March that the UK Government plans to close its Victoria Road office in Kirkcaldy, which has 101 staff, along with Aberdeen’s Ebury House, which has 64.
Meanwhile, some 316 workers at Lindsay House in Dundee will be offered the chance to relocate to the city’s Jack Martin Way.
The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union has warned more than 1,000 workers face a “very serious prospect of redundancy” across 42 offices in the UK.
Ministers urged to forge rescue package
It is understood the DWP has outlined to the Scottish Government that it does not intend to reduce overall staff headcount through the process.
But North East Labour MSP Mercedes Villalba urged ministers to come up with a rescue package that would see any staff facing redundancy redeployed to Social Security Scotland to assist in the rollout of newly devolved benefits.
Ms Villalba raised the issue at the Scottish Parliament last month but said she was left “hugely” disappointed by a written response from Social Justice Minister Shona Robison.
Ms Robison, a Dundee MSP, said the Scottish Government was not consulted before the office closures were announced but subsequently contacted the DWP “to gain an understanding of the impact of this change”.
She said: “The DWP outlined that they do not intend to reduce staff headcount through this change process.
“I appreciate that it will be an unsettling time for individuals; they must be our priority.
“We have made an offer to stand up our support through our initiative for responding to redundancy situations – the Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE).
“The DWP did not think that PACE support was required at this time.
“However, the offer will remain open for anyone who requires it.
“If needed, PACE will provide individual skills development and employability support.”
‘Hugely disappointing response’
Ms Villalba said: “It’s hugely disappointing that Shona Robison and the SNP/Green government, have not made any commitment to explore the possibility of redeploying Department for Work and Pensions staff in Scotland, who are at risk of redundancy, to Social Security Scotland to assist in the rollout of newly devolved benefits.
“With Tory ministers brutally cutting civil service jobs, the Scottish Government has an opportunity to use newly devolved powers over benefits, to protect at risk jobs, by redeploying DWP staff facing redundancy to deliver the new benefits system being launched in Scotland.
“However, Shona Robison appears to be swallowing the Tory line that no DWP offices in Scotland are at risk, despite Boris Johnson’s Government’s recent announcement of plans to cut up to 91,000 civil service jobs.
“Shona Robison and the SNP/Green government have no excuse for not using their newly acquired powers to intervene to protect jobs and DWP offices at risk of Tory cuts.”
What has the UK Government said?
The other affected offices in Scotland are Whitburn Road in Bathgate, Callendar Gate in Falkirk, Clydebank, Springburn, and Gregson House in Stirling.
The closures were revealed during an urgent question at Westminster from SNP employment spokesman Chris Stephens.
Speaking at the time, a UK Government spokeswoman said: “As part of plans to improve the services we deliver to claimants, help more people into employment and modernise public services, DWP is moving some back office staff to better, greener offices, which will not affect any public-facing roles.
“This is not a plan to reduce our headcount – where possible, our colleagues in offices due to close are being offered opportunities to be redeployed to a nearby site, or retrained into a new role in DWP or another government department.
“We are making every effort to fully support our staff through this process.”