§ Mr. Bob Dunnasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many staff will be saved by the introduction of voluntary registration for unemployed claimants.
§ Mr. AlisonIt is estimated that voluntary registration will produce a net saving of 1,350 staff in the Department of Employment group—1,300 in jobcentres and 50 in unemployment benefit offices. That saving is achieved after allowing for the additional 250 staff to be allocated in jobcentres to provide help and guidance to long-term unemployed people. 750 of the 1,350 staff to be saved will be counted towards savings which the employment service was already committed to make by 1984; and the figure of 600 given in the explanatory and financial memorandum to the Social Security and Housing Benefits Bill represents the further manpower savings in the Department of Employment group which voluntary registration makes possible. There will also be an142W associated increase of 50 staff in the Department of Health and Social Security to provide additional unemployment review officers.