THE Government is carrying out an economic impact assessment on the areas of the six UK passport offices, but is refusing to say whether the results will have any effect on the decision to close the Newport office.

The economic impact of the closure of the passport office on Newport City Centre is to be the subject of an investigation by Newport council and the Assembly-backed regeneration company Newport Unlimited.

The work will feed into a national study by the Identity and Passport Service into what the economic impact would be if any of the regional passport offices were shut.

But when the Argus called the Home Office to ask if plans would be put on hold if the study showed shutting the office would hit Newport hard, a spokesman refused to make any further comment.

Newport Unlimited and Newport City Council announced on Friday that they are going to work with IPS to study in detail the effect the closure will have on the local economy.

Gareth Beer, chief executive of Newport Unlimited, said IPS will consider the council and Newport Unlimited’s findings alongside their own.

“Newport Unlimited and the city council will continue to lobby for the retention of the full service here,” he said.

“It has been officially recognised that the employees in the Newport office provide a first-class service and that the city has an excellent reputation as a key centre for the public sector.”

Leader of the council Matthew Evans said he welcomed the commitment by immigration minister Damian Green to undertake the IPS economic study.

“I strongly believe that there are good, sound reasons for retaining the full service in Newport, not just from a local perspective but also nationally,” he said.

“The battle to keep these important jobs is far from over.”

A spokesman for IPS said a full impact assessment is being completed and the final version will be published following the end of the formal consultation.