Theresa May plans to close Jobcentres across the country is cutting a lifeline for out-of-work Scots.
Shadow Scotland Office Minister Paul Sweeney challenged the Prime Minister in Parliament this afternoon on the proposal to close ten centres across Scotland, including six in Glasgow.
Paul Sweeney said the plans are perverse, given the impact on some of the most deprived areas of the country, with some of the highest rates of unemployment.
Speaking earlier in Scotland Questions, he also called on the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to explore the option of consolidating services to create “one-stop shops” in the same location, incorporating council and community services.
In Glasgow, unemployment has consistently been higher than the national average, child poverty is rising, and the use of foodbanks has increased.
The closures will lead to increased travel times and more expensive journeys, resulting in missed appointments and a potential increase in the number of people being sanctioned. It is therefore imperative the government publishes an equality impact assessment
The DWP should also give urgent consideration to consolidating local services to create 'one-stop shops' in the same location.
It is now absolutely clear that only Labour is committed to helping people across the entire UK to find decent and secure work. We will create an economy that works for the many, not the few.
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