Scottish Secretary David Mundell has admitted that the Conservative Government has made mistakes in its controversial plans to close half of Glasgow’s jobcentres.
Mr Mundell told MPs that procedures around the proposals had not been “perfect”.
But he defended the plans, which minsters hope will save money.
And he called on all those who will have to travel more than three miles, or for 20 minutes, to get to their nearest centre to take part in a government consultation.
The SNP have accused Conservative ministers of only agreeing to the consultation after a public outcry.
The Tory government have been accused of using Scots as “guinea pigs” over the planned closures.
The offices are set to shut in some of Scotland's most deprived areas.
The SNP’s Westminster leader Angus Robertson had asked Mr Mundell on the House of Commons if he had been consulted about the changes.
Mr Mundell, Scotland’s only Conservative MP, replied that he had “taken a very close interest in this issue and worked closely on it with my colleagues in the Department for Work and Pensions and the Scottish Government”.
He added: “The Government and I have never suggested that the procedures followed during the process have been perfect, but we have put forward a public consultation for people who are affected and will have to travel more than three miles or for more than 20 minutes. I encourage everyone involved to take part in the consultation.”
The online consultation was announced following a meeting between SNP MPs and Conservative employment minister Damian Hinds.
The UK Government wants to merge a series of smaller offices into larger ones.
Ministers insist that there will be no change in the level of service and that the plan will save taxpayers money.
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