Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to support staff of William Hill following the announcement that 700 branches will close; and if she will make a statement.

DWP stands ready to support any affected by the proposed closures, with our Rapid Response Service (RRS) offer. This is a redundancy service designed to give support and advice to employers and their employees when faced with the prospect of redundancy. It is coordinated nationally by the National Employer and Partnership Team (NEPT) and is managed by Jobcentre Plus.

Each Jobcentre Plus district deploy resources according to the situation and the requirements of the workforce. This service is available to be deployed nationally should William Hill require support from Jobcentre Plus. The RRS is delivered in partnership with a range of national and local partners, including National Careers Service and local service providers.

The range of support available from Jobcentre Plus and partners may include:

• Information advice and guidance.
• Connecting people to jobs in the labour market.
• Help with job search including CV writing, interview skills, where to find jobs and
  how to apply for them.
• Help to identify transferable skills and skills gaps (linked to the local labour
  market).
• Training to update skills, learn new ones and gain industry recognised
  certification that will improve employability.
• Help to overcome barriers to attending training or securing a job or
  self-employment such as child care costs, necessary tools, work clothes, travel
  costs etc.
• On-site presentations to those affected.
• Jobs Fairs and Job Clubs where appropriate.