To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer

(1) what estimate he has made of how many jobs will be lost if the proposed closure of HM Revenue and Customs' enquiry centre in St Helens goes ahead;

(2) what information his Department holds on the number of visitors to HM Revenue and Customs' enquiry centre in St Helens in each of the last five years.

On 14 March 2013, HM Revenue and Customs announced a public consultation on a proposed new service for supporting customers who need extra help with getting their taxes and entitlements right. Earlier this month the department started a five month pilot of the new service in the north east of England.

If HMRC does decide to introduce the new service across the entire inquiry centre network then it would replace the current arrangements between February and May 2014.

Because HMRC has yet to make a decision on this issue, it cannot comment on the situation of the five staff working in the inquiry centre in St Helens. The number of visitors to the HMRC inquiry centre in St Helens for each of the last five financial years is: