DVLA OFFICE NETWORK CLOSURES

Early day motion 328, tabled 4 July 2012 by John McDonnell (Labour). Signed by 43 members.

That this House notes with concern the announcement made by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport on 4 July 2012 on closure of the DVLA Office Network which, if implemented, will result in the closure of 39 local offices, 10 enforcement centres and three process units; further notes that these proposed closures will result in the loss of over 1,200 jobs at a time of growing national unemployment; regrets the detrimental effect these closures will have on local communities and the motor trade, which relies on the Local Office Network; recognises that the loss of local offices will make the DVLA much harder to access and will lead to the inevitable increase of unlicensed vehicles; further notes that the Government has disregarded its own public consultation in which 79 per cent of respondents wanted the DVLA local offices kept open; and calls on the Government to reverse this ill-thought-out decision with immediate effect.

Signatures by party: Labour 27, Liberal Democrat 5, DUP 3, Plaid Cymru 3, Green 1, Independent 1, Respect 1, Scottish National Party 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.