§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Employment what considerations he had in mind in not proceeding with his plan to select Bathgate and instead selecting Grangemouth for the final experiments in voluntary registration for unemployment benefit: and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AlisonThe pilot scheme to test the availability for work of people claiming unemployment benefit started56W on 11 January 1982 and will run for three months. Bathgate unemployment benefit office was originally selected to take part in the experiment, but subsequently substantial local redundancies were announced which would have put considerable extra work on that office during the period of the availability testing pilot. It was therefore decided that any extra work should be avoided where possible in Bathgate and an alternative pilot office found. Grangemouth was selected as it is in the same management area.