Amess presses DWP Minister on the future of Contact Centres

Yesterday in Parliament, David Amess MP (Southend West) asked an oral question on the future of the call centres that take enquiries from the public on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions. He asked,

Mr. David Amess (Southend, West) (Con): When he will respond to the Public Accounts Committee report on contact centres, “Department for Work and Pensions: Delivering effective services through contact centres”, HC 1034, 2005-06; and if he will make a statement. [102901]

David then followed up this question by adding,
Mr. Amess: In response to the Department’s efforts to save £375 million, many local offices are being closed and are being replaced by 62 call centres. As the Minister knows, the Public Accounts Committee has described the call centres as unresponsive, unreliable and frankly not working. Will he please reassure us that efficiency savings are not hitting front-line services, as they appear to be?
Mr Murphy confirmed that the Government’s response would be published in January 2006 saying,
Mr. Murphy: Since April this year, call centres have received 22 million calls. All but 0.3 per cent. were answered, and only 0.3 per cent. produced the engaged tone. A National Audit Office report showed that86 per cent. of customers thought their calls had been dealt with in a reasonable time. Of course we can go on finding more ways of improving customer care for benefit recipients and customers, which is why in the last couple of weeks we have announced a freephone number—a single point of contact—for all working-age benefit claimants. I think that that will be welcomed by customers and citizens throughout the country.

David Amess MP would encourage any of his constituents in Southend West that have experienced problems with the DWP benefit help lines and contact centres to contact him directly at his Westminster office.