Mark Menzies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Menzies on 2016-05-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 12 May 2016 to Question 36891, whether it is his Department’s policy to retain a Jobcentre Plus in Fylde; and for what reasons officials in his Department did not inform the hon. Member for Fylde of his Department’s plans to redevelop the Jobcentre Plus at Westmoreland House in Lytham St. Annes.

Priti Patel

The department is in the process of reviewing all of its estates requirements as the current contract for most of the estate comes to an end on 31 March 2018.

As building contracts come to an end landlords may explore what options are available to them, including making planning applications. In many cases this will be a sensible commercial decision even if the landlord intends on continuing to let their property to DWP.

In this case the landlord of Westmorland House has acted independently of DWP in applying for planning permission. No decision has been made on the future of this Jobcentre Plus.

Commercial negotiations are underway on the entirety of our estate at this time and it is not appropriate to comment further on individual sites while negotiations are in progress.