(2) if he will make a statement on the future of the Jobcentre Plus office at Sunley House, Aylesbury.
[holding answer 20 October 2008]: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
Letter from Lesley Strathie:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions asking if he will make a statement on his plans for the reorganisation of Jobcentre Plus offices and processing centres in the South East of England; and if he will make a statement on the future of the Jobcentre Plus office at Sunley House, Aylesbury. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
Since 2002 Jobcentre Plus has completed a national modernisation programme to improve levels of service to all our customers through new style Jobcentres, Contact Centres, Benefit Delivery Centres and the Internet. The roll out of Jobcentre Plus in the South East was completed with the opening of our new Portsmouth Jobcentre Plus office on 24 September 2008. The Jobcentre Plus network in the South East currently consists of 73 Jobcentres and 8 Benefit Delivery Centres.
Our customers expect to access our services like any other organisation, as easily, directly and flexibly as possible. We are, therefore, offering far more of our services, both to employers and individual customers, through our Contact Centre network and the Internet. Customers making a benefit claim or enquiry can call a 0800 number to provide claim details by phone, this is free to landline users, with a call back facility available for those using mobile phones. This reduces the need to call into a Jobcentre and increasingly our offices are used for booked appointments only. In addition, we are providing a more individual service for our most disadvantaged customers, delivered in partnership with the public, private and voluntary sectors.
Social Fund services to most of the region are provided by the Jobcentre Plus Benefit Delivery centre in Bowback House, Milton Keynes. The former Social Security Office Sunley House in Aylesbury has been used for some Social Fund work on a temporary basis until sufficient space became available in Milton Keynes.
We have now acquired sufficient space in Bowback House, Milton Keynes to house the Sunley House Social Fund operations. The current planning assumption is that Social Fund work will migrate to Milton Keynes Benefit Delivery Centre by 31 March 2009. This will allow Jobcentre Plus to close Sunley House and realise a saving to its estate costs of approximately £420,000 in 2009/10.
All Social Fund staff in Sunley House have been given the opportunity to redeploy to Milton Keynes Benefit Delivery Centre. A number of staff have already done so. Staff will also be able to apply for other Department for Work and Pensions vacancies at Aylesbury and Chesham Jobcentres as well as vacancies within HMRC in the Aylesbury area.
Services to Jobcentre Plus customers in Aylesbury will not be affected by the closure of Sunley House as Social Fund payments to Aylesbury customers will be made from the Jobcentre in Heron House which is just a few hundred yards away.
I hope you find this information helpful. I have asked Paul Williams (Customer Services Director for the South East) to contact you to arrange a suitable time to discuss your concerns either by phone or face to face, whichever is more convenient for you. However, if you would like to contact Paul directly in the meantime his number is: 01483 446065.