§ Mr. Robert Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether the proposed expansion of jobcentres to a total of 800 by 1981–82 will affect current cash limits for the Manpower Services Commission.
§ Mr. Jim LesterI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that, following the reduction of £1 million in expenditure on the jobcentre programme in the current financial year, the programme now aims to have approximately 1,000 jobcentres operational by 1985–86. Of this number, approximately 662 will have been completed by the end of the current financial year and 800 by the start of 1981–82.
The Government are reviewing expenditure on the jobcentre programme in the light of their plans and priorities on public expenditure generally. The MSC confidently expects that expenditure on the jobcentre programme will be held within agreed cash limits.