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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| 259 HMRC tax jobs under threat at four Welsh offices | 259 HMRC tax jobs under threat at four Welsh offices |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Nearly 260 jobs at four tax offices in Wales could be at risk after staff were offered severance packages. | Nearly 260 jobs at four tax offices in Wales could be at risk after staff were offered severance packages. |
| Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs workers in Carmarthen, Pembroke Dock, Merthyr Tydfil and Colwyn Bay are affected. | Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs workers in Carmarthen, Pembroke Dock, Merthyr Tydfil and Colwyn Bay are affected. |
| HMRC said an increasing number of its customers were choosing to do business online which was reducing the need for labour-intensive roles. | |
| The jobs involved range from tax inspectors to port revenue officers. | The jobs involved range from tax inspectors to port revenue officers. |
| The sites in Carmarthen and Merthyr both employ more than 80 staff, with smaller numbers at Pembroke Dock and Colwyn Bay. | |
| HMRC said 259 staff in Wales could apply for "voluntary exit". | |
| There are 86 positions to be cut in Carmarthen, 81 in Colwyn Bay, 84 in Merthyr Tydfil and eight in Pembroke Dock. | |
| A spokesperson said: "An increasing number of customers are choosing to do business with us through our online services, which has reduced our need for physical sites. | A spokesperson said: "An increasing number of customers are choosing to do business with us through our online services, which has reduced our need for physical sites. |
| "This change has seen the nature of our work shift away from mass-processing work of the past to more specialist, but less labour-intensive, roles required in effective policing of the tax system. | "This change has seen the nature of our work shift away from mass-processing work of the past to more specialist, but less labour-intensive, roles required in effective policing of the tax system. |
| 'Disappointed' | |
| "As a result, some areas of our work do not require as many staff, so we are offering targeted voluntary exits to staff in Carmarthen, Merthyr Tydfil, Pembroke and Colwyn Bay." | "As a result, some areas of our work do not require as many staff, so we are offering targeted voluntary exits to staff in Carmarthen, Merthyr Tydfil, Pembroke and Colwyn Bay." |
| Steve Donoghue of the Public and Commercial Services union said it feared the move might be a precursor to office closures but until staff knew exactly what the plans were its advice was "not to jump". | Steve Donoghue of the Public and Commercial Services union said it feared the move might be a precursor to office closures but until staff knew exactly what the plans were its advice was "not to jump". |
| He said the four affected offices were not part of the HMRC's medium to long-term strategy and they could close in 2015. | He said the four affected offices were not part of the HMRC's medium to long-term strategy and they could close in 2015. |
| "We are disappointed that people will have to make a decision, which affects their livelihoods, by the end of January when the future of the affected four Welsh offices won't be known until February," he added. | "We are disappointed that people will have to make a decision, which affects their livelihoods, by the end of January when the future of the affected four Welsh offices won't be known until February," he added. |