To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which offices in her Department have been (a) closed or (b) partially closed as a result of the covid-19 outbreak in each of the last six months.
Answered on
30 November 2021
The Department has consistently taken a proactive approach to reporting and reviewing all reported cases of Covid-19 infections. This has ensured that wherever possible sites remain open or partially open.
During the 6-month period May to October 2021, 11 offices have been closed for a circuit breaks, 6 of these were closed due to multiple positive cases on the site. Circuit breaks are tight restrictions and/or closures designed to stop and bring the number of cases down.
The following offices were closed or partially closed due to circuit breaks:
- Blackburn Service Centre
- Wigan Jobcentre
- Caxton House (Corporate Centre/Hub)
- Manchester St Peters SQ (Corporate Centre/Hub)
- Dudley Pedmore House Service Centre
- Guisely Jobcentre
- Weymouth Jobcentre
- Newcastle Tyne View Park (Corporate Centre/Hub)
- Caerphilly Jobcentre
- Kirkby Jobcentre
- Montrose Jobcentre
The offices listed above are sites that were closed for a Circuit Break due to the potential of workplace transmission and therefore do not include sites where they were temporarily closed to allow for deep clean to take place.