HM Revenue and Customs came under attack last night over plans to close offices across the north and north-east affecting nearly 120 jobs.
An HMRC spokesman accused the Public and Commercial Services union of scaremongering over prospective job losses and cuts in services, insisting no redundancies were being announced, saying: “It remains our intention to avoid them wherever reasonably possible.”
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka expressed deep concern, however, and warned that rural areas would be hard hit, adding: “In uncertain times, these closures and job losses will hit businesses, the public and the communities they serve.”
The row erupted after HMRC confirmed most of the north and north-east would be stripped of offices. Those closing include the only two in Moray, at Elgin and Buckie; one of two offices in Inverness, at Longman House, and offices at Wick, Oban, Rothesay, Dunoon, Perth, Peterhead, Stirling and Falkirk.
The only offices to remain will be at Ullapool and Lerwick, which were excluded from the closure review, and River House in Inverness. Both offices in Dundee, at Caledonian House and Sidlaw House, have been saved. Ruby House in Aberdeen was also excluded from the review. Ninety offices employing 3,400 staff will close across the UK, including 20 with 400 staff across Scotland.
HMRC said the closures were part of its strategy to improve efficiency by 5% a year until 2011.
Accountants Baker Tilly said they would “be a significant blow to businesses and individual taxpayers”.
First Minister and Banff and Buchan MP Alex Salmond said the rationalisation consultations were “little more than a sham PR exercise” and said the Peterhead closure ignored the relationship with the fishing industry built up by staff at Keith House. Banff and Buchan MSP Stewart Stevenson said commuting to Aberdeen would not be an option for many.
Liberal Democrat Scottish affairs spokesman Alistair Carmichael, MP for Orkney and Shetland, said: “It seems to be the wrong decision.”
Scottish Rural Affairs and Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, said closing HMRC offices in the wake of post office closures was “crazy”.
Peterhead PCS representative Anne Urquhart said just before Christmas was the worst time to receive this news. PCS east branch secretary Hamish Drummond said Perth staff would face a two-hour journey to another tax office in Glenrothes or Dundee.