Johnstone criticises UK Gov for pressing ahead with closure of HMRC offices in Bathgate and Livingston
Alison Johnstone, Social Security spokesperson for the Scottish Greens and MSP for Lothian, today (12 July) criticised the UK Government for pressing ahead with plans to close HMRC offices in Bathgate and Livingston, with up to 1,200 workers expected to relocate to Edinburgh.
Alison said:
“The UK Government is wrong to press ahead with this centralisation. A National Audit Office report warned that it would cause job losses, that the scale of staff disruption had been underestimated and that the impact on tax services was not understood. A study by the PCS Union and West Lothian Council warned that it could cost the local economy £8.5 million a year and put 1,200 local jobs under threat.
“In their corporate jargon, HMRC talk of ‘using space more effectively’, ignoring the fact that this decision will cause huge upheaval in real people’s lives and cause serious damage to the West Lothian economy. This is yet another example of an austerity-obsessed Tory Government treating public sector workers with contempt.”