KNOWLEDGE OF OFFICES TOO TAXING FOR BRIAN?
Published 13 Feb 2012 09:30
MIFFED tax chiefs have hit back at MP Brian Donohoe following claims he made about the closure of Irvine's tax office.
The Times revealed last week that HM Revenue and Customs has confirmed that Marress House will be among numerous tax offices across the UK which will face closure over the next few years.
The closure is part of a shake-up which will see fewer staff and fewer offices across the country.
Irvine MP Mr Donohoe slammed the plans as simply ridiculous, claiming the closure would create "a situation of there being no tax office between Glasgow and Carlisle - and that is simply ridiculous".
But HMRC bosses have hit back saying Mr Donohoe got his facts wrong and there will, in fact, be two other offices between Glasgow and Carlisle- one of which is in Ayr.
Ron Barrie from HMRC, said: "Even after Marress House in Irvine is closed during 2014/15 there will still be an Enquiry Centre retained in the vicinity.
"By the end of 2014/15 there will HMRC Enquiry Centres in three areas between Glasgow and Carlisle."
There is currently an office in Ayr at the Trading Standards Office in River Terrace and in Dumfries at Dumfries and Galloway Council in Queensbury Street.
This article appeared in Irvine Times 08 Feb 12
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