KEETCH FIGHTS TO KEEP LOCAL TAX OFFICE

11.36.13am GMT Wed 11th Mar 2009

MP for Hereford, Paul Keetch has co-sponsored a Motion in Parliament on the 'Closure of HM Revenue and Customs Offices.' The Motion recognises the important role that HMRC offices have in local communities and to local economies and calls on the Government to halt and rethink the proposed closure programme.

Mr Keetch stated, "I have fought to try to save Hereford's office from the threat of closure. I am delighted to offer my support to this Motion. Local tax offices play an invaluable function in local communities and to local economies and yet the Government does not seem to have understood how important these local offices are.

"I am sure that if the Government conducted a proper assessment of the economic impact, which this Motion calls for, then it would be clear that it is more beneficial to keep the local tax offices open. I hope that as many MPs as possible will back this Motion, support our local HMRC offices and raise questions over the inevitability of closures for offices such as Hereford where the impact would be nothing but detrimental."

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