Following years of campaigning on the issue, Great Yarmouth MP Tony Wright has given his official response to the consultation on the future of HMRC jobs in Great Yarmouth.

Following a Government review of civil service jobs nationwide, and identifying a need to reduce numbers, Great Yarmouth’s own Havenbridge House, home to over 100 HMRC workers, recently had its official consultation on options for reform.

MP Tony Wright, who has for many years campaigned for the retention of civil service jobs in the town, recently submitted his own official response.

He said: “I have been campaigning on the issue of Havenbridge House for many years now. Despite the fact the official consultation has only just happened, it has long been a fear that our office could be moved to Norwich – a proposal put forward in the consultation – which I believe would be detrimental not just for staff, but to our local economy and the people that use its services.

I have kept the issue under the spotlight through debates in Parliament and numerous meeting with senior Ministers and top civil servants, and I hope the strong arguments I have put forward during this time will be properly considered during the consultation. Keeping our office in Great Yarmouth is right for the staff, for the customers and for the local economy”.

Tony Wright’s submission to the consultation is shown below.      

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To Whom It May Concern:

In response to the consultation on the future of Havenbridge House at Great Yarmouth with reference to the HMRC office my views have been well documented regarding the need to maintain this office in what is recognised as an area of severe deprivation.

On two counts I make an appeal for the retention of this office, firstly for the jobs it is important to understand the difficulties this will impose on some staff regarding the need to alter travel to work arrangements and the change in their lifestyle at work with the need to allow up to one hour extra time to get to work resulting in a significant change to their home life and some may be carers and some have children and could result in them not being in a position to continue in employment. This may suit the department in a way to shed staff, but personally I believe this goes against what has been recognised as a family friendly profession.

There is also the issue of jobs but to the economy of Great Yarmouth. More people away from the town and an element of spend is lost to the town, and with the Government doing all it can and having positive results in reducing unemployment it is quite perverse that a Government department  will be responsible for taking jobs out of the economy.

For the clients who use the office it will again cause an element of nuisance by no longer having the ability of having a local office. The PCS have given me a copy of their proposal which in my opinion is a way forward, their document  ‘Change We Can Believe In’ is an ideal way to progress with the department, saving money but also keeping the skilled local staff in the area.

I sincerely hope that the documents ideas are the way forward and takes on board suggestions of a union that is acting responsibly in its desire to take on board the issues raised by HMRC management and also its members.

It would be a retrograde step should jobs move to Norwich which does not have the same problems as Great Yarmouth  but would create problems for many of the department staff and for Great Yarmouth  I urge you not to be the architect of giving problems to Great Yarmouth but to be part of resolving our problems.  

If you need any more information or if you wish to discuss this further because of the importance of the subject to me and my constituency please do not hesitate to contact me. I will of course be in touch with the Secretary of State regarding this.

Yours faithfully

Tony Wright MP