THE Minister who wants to close eight Jobcentres in and around Glasgow should come and meet with the people who will be affected according to the Scottish Government.

Damian Hinds, UK Employability Minister, has responsibility for Jobcentres and will decide the future of the seven Glasgow offices plus Cambuslang earmarked for closure.

He met yesterday with Jamie Hepburn, his Scottish Government counterpart who said he should be talking to the public as well.

The meeting of the ministers came before a debate in the Scottish Parliament where MSPs spoke out against the closures and many praised the Evening Times campaign to halt the plan.

Mr Hepburn said: “The UK’s Employability Minister has a duty to go out and meet people in Glasgow who use and rely on their local Jobcentre Plus. He needs to get an understanding of how cutting these vital services could be harmful to the future prospects of people who are looking for support to find a job.

“I fear that by reducing access to Jobcentre Plus, we will only increase the risk of benefit sanctions, pushing them into crises and desperation, and make it more difficult for people to find employment.”

Mr Hepburn said he will be meeting with Mr Hinds again later this month at the Joint Ministerial Committee and would raise the issue of Jobcentres in Glasgow again.

The DWP plan is to close Anniesland and move it to Partick, close Bridgeton, Easterhouse and Parkhead and move all three into Shettleston, close Castlemilk and Langside and move into Newlands and close Maryhill and move services to Springburn. Cambuslang in South Lanarkshire would also close and move to Rutherglen.

Drumchapel, Govan and Laurieston are not affected

the consultation on three of the proposed closures Bridgeton, Castlemilk and Maryhill runs until January 31.

Submissions can be made to plp.communicationsteam@dwp.gsi.gov.uk or by post to Etta Wright, District Manager’s Office, Public consultation, 1st Floor, Laurieston Jobcentre 159-181 Pollockshaws Road, Glasgow, G41 1PW