Benefit Agency Offices

EDM number 205 in 1996-97, proposed by Ieuan Wyn Jones on 18/11/1996.

That this House deplores the proposal by the management of the Benefits Agency in Wales to close 14 main offices and a number of other public caller offices; considers that this would mean a major reduction in the provision of services to the public; believes that the alternative arrangements set out in the consultative document are completely unsafitisfactory; believes that the Benefits Agency should maintain a range of offices throughout Wales to meet the needs of claimants and that the proposals would lead to hardship for many of these entitled to benefits, particularly those with no access to telephone or private transport; and calls on the Benefits Agency to scrap these proposals and to discuss the matter in detail with the representatives of the employees and those organisations who provide advice and assistance to claimants.

This motion has been signed by a total of 30 MPs.