§ Mr. Lawrenceasked the Secretary of State for Employment what computerised job vacancy and skill availability services are currently available in the United Kingdom; what is their cost; and whether they are cost effective in terms of reduction in unemployment benefit paid out.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe Manpower Services Commission is now more than half-way through its programme to implement computerised vacancy circulation systems in 8 separate areas covering the whole of Great Britain. This will allow vacancies to be circulated quickly, typically within 10 minutes, between jobcentres and employment offices within each area. The capital cost of the completed systems will be £4.3 million, and their annual running costs will be £1.25 million.
Evaluations have shown that these systems fill vacancies more quickly and are more cost-effective than the methods of vacancy circulation they will replace.
§ Mr. Lawrenceasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what is his estimate of likely capital and 31W running costs of (a) a national computerised job vacancy notification system and (b) a national computerised skill availability notification system;
(2) what consideration he is giving to the introduction of (a) a national computerised job vacancy notification system and (b) a national skill availability notification system.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe Manpower Services Commission is presently examining the feasibility of linking its current and planned vacancy circulation systems to provide an integrated national system and to create a computerised bank of skilled vacancies. It is impossible to give realistic estimates of costs until this study is complete. The Commission will consider its introduction in the light of the report of the feasibility study which will be ready towards the end of April 1982.
The Commission has no plans at present to introduce a national computerised skill availability notification system to hold details of individual jobseekers and no estimate of the costs of such a scheme has been made.
§ Mr. Lawrenceasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will assess the effect of the proposed tenancy exchange scheme upon the cost of introducing a national computerised job vacancy and skill availability scheme, and its likely effect on the mobility of labour and reduction of unemployment.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe Manpower Services Commission does not expect the costs of the various computerised vacancy circulation schemes it is planning to be affected by the tenants exchange scheme, which will operate separately. The tenants exchange scheme will also facilitate labour mobility, though it is not restricted to those moving to a new job.