Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the effect of recent and proposed closures in the Department for Work and Pensions estate in Scotland on the level of unemployment in Scotland.

DWP are working to recruit more work coaches to support people into work in Scotland and we do not expect there to be a change in service as a result of the proposed closures. The UK Government is committed to retaining a Jobcentre network and continuing to serve people in all areas of the country to make sure they can continue to access the services they need, responding to economic trends and the changing ways in which claimants access services.