Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Damian Hinds and Seema Kennedy

Monday 20th February 2017 Commons Chamber

[Damian Hinds]

The entire estates review has come about because a 20-year private finance initiative contract comes to an end at the end of March 2018. That has presented the opportunity—indeed, the requirement—to review almost the entire DWP estate. We are trying to consolidate it into less space to save money for the taxpayer and to do things more efficiently. We do not want the people who work in those places, particularly in back-of-house locations, to be made redundant. We are trying extremely hard to find other opportunities for them elsewhere in DWP or in the public sector.

[Seema Kennedy (South Ribble) (Con)]

17. What assessment his Department has made of recent trends in the number of people in work.