SOUTH Wales East AM Jocelyn Davies is seeking assurances over the future of Newport’s tax office, after a leaked government document suggested site closures.

Mrs Davies is calling on Work and Pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith to “come clean” following the release of a Her Majesty’s Revenue& Customs document, which stated that only one in eight HMRC sites in Wales is guaranteed to remain open until 2020.

She said: “This is yet more worrying news for the Welsh economy and the local economy here in Newport.

Although there is only a fraction of the workforce remaining in HMRC in the city, it seems the UK government is intent on pushing through savage cuts that will be yet another setback.”

HMRC offices in Newport were downgraded by the last UK government and it is believed 12 staff remain there, when two years ago there were as many as 150.

Mrs Davies added: “I am disgusted that staff have found out about a risk to their livelihoods through a leaked document. I am calling on work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith to come clean and tell us the details of his intentions.”

A HMRC spokesman said an announcement was made to staff last week on the “size and shape” of the department for 2015 and beyond, which identified 16 locations where a significant presence would remain until at least 2020.

She said: “The fact that we have confirmed our intention to remain in these 16 locations should certainly not be interpreted to mean that we plan to close any particular offices elsewhere.

“Suggestion otherwise is unfounded speculation.”