PCS: Union anger over more revenue and customs office closures

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Wednesday, 11, Jun 2008 12:00

The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) reacted angrily to today’s announcement by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) proposing to close a further 95 offices across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland affecting up to 12,300 staff serving some of the remotest communities in the UK.

The union warned that the ability of the department to collect revenues and provide tax advice to the public and local businesses would be further undermined by the closures. Services are already suffering in HMRC with a drive to axe 25,000 jobs and close over 200 offices, leading to backlogs of work and poor staff morale.

15,000 jobs have already been cut since March 2004 with 165 offices earmarked for closure or in the process of closing. The union fears that the latest proposals for more closures will accelerate the loss of skilled and experienced staff, who face an extremely uncertain future in instances where they are unable to relocate or travel to their nearest office.

Commenting, Mark Serwotka, PCS general secretary, said: “Today’s announcement is part of a crude drive to slash jobs and cut costs which will leave HMRC unable to deliver quality public services. Access to tax advice in communities across the UK will be damaged by these proposals hitting businesses and the public, in rural towns and villages, as well as taking quality jobs out of local communities.

“We will be campaigning to keep as many offices open as possible, as job cuts are already damaging the ability of HMRC to function and undermining public confidence, with an estimated £42 billion in tax going uncollected and corporate tax avoidance totalling over £11.8 billion a year. The government has to recognise that this erosion of confidence can only be halted by having enough civil and public servants with the right resources to do the job.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

* For further information, interviews and comment please contact Alex Flynn PCS national press officer on 0207 8012820 or 07833 978216.

* PCS, the Public and Commercial Services Union is the union representing civil and public servants in central government. It has more than 315,000 members in over 200 departments and agencies. It also represents workers in parts of government transferred to the private sector. PCS is the UK’s sixth largest union and is affiliated to the TUC. The general secretary is Mark Serwotka and the president Janice Godrich.

Alex Flynn

National Press Officer

Public and Commercial Services Union

160 Falcon Rd

London SW11 2LN

Direct line: 020 7801 2747

Mobile: 07833 978 216

Fax: 020 7924 1847

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