Today the Government announced its final decision regarding the closure programme for Glasgow’s Job Centre network.
In a debate on Jobcentre closures, Stewart McDonald MP said the planned closures could devastate communities and criticised DWP Ministers for failing to visit the Jobcentres in Glasgow that the Department wishes to close.
An SNP MP has called on the UK Government to save Glasgow jobcentres from closure, after warning the budget does little to help those most affected by cuts to welfare.
Stewart McDonald MP has described further cuts to disability benefits as “completely unacceptable” and called for an assurance from the UK government that disabled people will not be left with less financial support as a result of the proposals.
Stewart McDonald MP called on the Department for Work and Pensions to provide more information on proposed jobcentre closures in Glasgow. Minister of State for Work and Pensions, Damian Hinds, said he expected to reveal more in April, but refused to confirm whether or not the announcement would be made in the House of Commons.
MPs from across Glasgow presented petitions in the House of Commons expressing concern at DWP proposals to close half of the city's jobcentres.
Giving evidence to the Scottish Affairs Committee, Stewart McDonald MP said plans close half of Glasgow's jobcentres will put disproportionate hardships on his constituents and residents across the city.
Following DWP's plans to close a further 16 jobcentres in Scotland, Stewart McDonald MP asked Ministers if they had "done another Glasgow" and based the proposals on Google maps. The Minister refused to deny this.
Stewart McDonald MP criticised DWP's plan to close Glasgow jobcentres saying it will add crippling pressures to remaining jobcentres and their service users, and called the plans so disorganised that it makes the Trump transition look orderly.
Stewart McDonald MP hit out at the UK Government over its "ridiculous" plans to close half of Glasgow's jobcentres, and criticised DWP Ministers for targeting the city given they couldn't provide any details on the number of service users in Glasgow's jobcentres.
Stewart McDonald MP coordinated a cross-party letter from Glasgow's political representatives to Secretary of State for Scotland, David Mundell, asking him to intervene and stop the Glasgow Job Centre closures.
Stewart McDonald MP called for debate on reforming the honours system, after CBEs were awarded to DWP directors behind cuts against disabled people, which were labelled as "grave and systematic violations" of disabled people's rights by a recent UN inquiry.
The plans to close half of Glasgow's jobcentres is morally outrageous. It will result in some of the poorest communities being hit and make it even harder for those seeking
employment to get support. Thousands of people will also have to travel further
at additional cost to attend their appointments.
Stewart McDonald MP asked DWP Ministers when data on the new boundaries by which they want to close half of Glasgow jobcentres would be published. Minster for Work and Pensions, Damian Hinds MP, could not provide the details.
Closing a debate on jobcentre closures, Stewart McDonald MP told the Minister for Work and Pensions that the UK Government started the fight against Glasgow jobcentres, and said Glasgow MPs would keep up their opposition in the new year.
Opening a debate on jobcentre closures in Glasgow, Stewart McDonald MP criticised the current plans and called on DWP Ministers to visit Glasgow and meet those affected by jobcentre closures.
Members have Parliament have signed an Early Day Motion, tabled by Stewart McDonald MP, raising concern about the planned Job Centre closures in Glasgow, and called on the UK Government to reconsider the planned closures.
SNP MPs have today outlined their demands over the planned “callous closures” of eight job centres across Glasgow, following a meeting with the Minister of State for the Department of Work and Pensions.