A GOVERNMENT minister has been criticised by two MPs for failing to clear up the future of an East Lancashire pension centre.

Labour's Peter Pike and Tory Nigel Evans were disappointed that Malcolm Wicks failed to give a pledge that the Simonstone office would continue to operate after a review.

The Department for Work and Pensions is currently looking at the whole question of the network of pension offices in view of a reorganisation of provision for senior citizens.

Burnley MP Mr Pike raised the question of the Simonstone pension centre - which used to be in his constituency but is now in Mr Evans's Ribble Valley seat - in Commons Questions.

He asked Work and Pensions Minister Mr Wicks: "Will you recognise that there are concerns about what will happen to those centres?

"In particular, there are rumours that Simonstone pension centre will close in a major reorganisation."

Mr Wicks told Mr Pike: "I am grateful to you for recognising the important work that pension centres and the service as a whole are doing.

"Despite the inevitable scare stories that we get from time to time, the fact that, for example, 94 per cent of calls are answered within 30 seconds shows what an excellent service we now have."

Mr Evans said after the exchange: "It is quite scandalous that the minister failed to answer a simple question about the future of the Simonstone centre.

"He could easily have put to rest rumours that it is to close costing many jobs.

"The fact that he failed to do so will alarm people working at the centre and in the village and surrounding area."

Mr Pike said: "I was disappointed that the minister did not give me an assurance about the future of the Simonstone centre.

'My understanding is that it will not close but he missed an opportunity to make that clear.

"I have a Parliamentary question down on the issue."