HMRC Tax Office: Cumbernauld

Opened the debate

Mr. McDonald highlighted the proposal by HMRC to close its Cumbernauld tax office as part of a wider programme called 'Building our future.' He noted that this would impact workers who have given decades of service, many of whom will not be able to transfer due to various personal reasons or travel limitations. The speech emphasised the detrimental effect on the town and community of Cumbernauld and argued against the logic behind these changes from a taxpayer's perspective. Mr. McDonald also pointed out the controversy surrounding 'Building our future,' citing instances where similar office closures have led to difficulties in tax collection, recruitment issues, and overall negative impacts. He called for the Government to take responsibility, reconsider closure proposals, conduct thorough impact assessments, address workforce concerns, and ensure that new housing developments do not come at the expense of job security.

Government Response

Mr Norman acknowledged the debate raised by Stuart McDonald and outlined the HMRC’s location strategy from November 2015, which aims to consolidate its estate into 13 regional hubs across the UK. He emphasised that this consolidation would improve collaboration among staff, enhance communication channels, reduce costs, and align with broader Government objectives of digital transformation and efficiency improvements in tax collection services. Mr Norman assured that HMRC has considered various factors including staff wellbeing during relocation and provided extensive support measures such as financial assistance for travel expenses up to five years. He also noted that the Cumbernauld office closure was part of a wider plan that would deliver significant savings to taxpayers, despite some criticisms about economic impacts on local communities.