This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-28685320
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Mark Durkan: Revenue and Customs created jobs threat | Mark Durkan: Revenue and Customs created jobs threat |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Fears are growing for more than 40 jobs at Londonderry's main tax office. | Fears are growing for more than 40 jobs at Londonderry's main tax office. |
| The Revenue and Customs department has invited 44 staff at the office on the Duncreggan Road to apply for voluntary redundancy. | The Revenue and Customs department has invited 44 staff at the office on the Duncreggan Road to apply for voluntary redundancy. |
| However, Foyle MP Mark Durkan has accused Revenue and Customs of engineering the job losses in offices in Londonderry, Enniskillen and Newry. | However, Foyle MP Mark Durkan has accused Revenue and Customs of engineering the job losses in offices in Londonderry, Enniskillen and Newry. |
| He said HMRC had withdrawn services then told customers there was no demand for them. | He said HMRC had withdrawn services then told customers there was no demand for them. |
| A HMRC spokesperson said the redundancies were brought about by more people doing their tax business online. | A HMRC spokesperson said the redundancies were brought about by more people doing their tax business online. |
| "An increasing number of customers are choosing to do business with us through our online services," the spokesperson said. | "An increasing number of customers are choosing to do business with us through our online services," the spokesperson said. |
| 'Created situation' | 'Created situation' |
| "This change has seen the nature of our work shift away from the mass processing work to the 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 the mass processing work to the more specialist, but less labour-intensive, roles required in effective policing of the tax system. |
| "As a result, some areas of our work do not require as many staff, so we are inviting 44 staff in Londonderry to apply for voluntary redundancy." | "As a result, some areas of our work do not require as many staff, so we are inviting 44 staff in Londonderry to apply for voluntary redundancy." |
| Mr Durkan claimed the department had created the situation. | Mr Durkan claimed the department had created the situation. |
| "The office here in Derry and in Newry and in Enniskillen have been put very much in the front line of the direct cuts planned," he said. | "The office here in Derry and in Newry and in Enniskillen have been put very much in the front line of the direct cuts planned," he said. |
| "But the way in which the HMRC has gone about this is unfair. | "But the way in which the HMRC has gone about this is unfair. |
| "They have engineered a particular situation where, on the one hand, they are telling customers, no more enquiry centres, no more face-to-face services at local offices like this. | "They have engineered a particular situation where, on the one hand, they are telling customers, no more enquiry centres, no more face-to-face services at local offices like this. |
| "And then they say the fact that there are no face-to-face services means that customers don't want it, that demand is changing, people want to go online." |