§ 20. Dr. Brayasked the Minister of Labour what steps he is taking to transform the administration of employment 17 exchanges so that in times and areas of high unemployment they become primarily job-seeking rather than job-filling organisations.
§ Mr. HareIt is normal practice for employment exchanges to seek openings for men and women registered for work if there are no suitable notified vacancies.
§ Dr. BrayIs the Minister aware that if an employer goes into an employment exchange and asks for a man with particular skills and his requirement cannot be matched by the unemployment register at that exchange the vacancy is notified throughout the whole area, the region, and, if necessary, the country, whereas if Jack Smith with a particular skill cannot be fixed up with a job nobody hears about him at all outside the immediate area of the employment exchange? Does not this show the need for a revision of administrative procedures in the Ministry of Labour?
§ Mr. HareVacancies which cannot be filled locally are circulated to areas where labour is available. The hon. Gentleman probably realises also that exchanges do not rely entirely on notified vacancies. They do achieve a great number of their placings through special approaches to likely employers on behalf of individual registrants. In fact, they go and seek vacancies for people who come to discuss their problems in the exchanges.