§ Mr. Sheermanasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) in view of the pay award to local authority workers, what action the Government intends, taking in respect of the £60 average allowance for workers on community programmes;
(2) what change he is planning on the average payment to participants on community programmes.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonAs my right hon. Friend announced on 16 November 1983—[Vol. 48 c.481 ]—the average wage used in the programme by sponsors will for the time being remain at £60 a week, in the interests of providing the maximum number of places on the programme.
§ Mr. Baldryasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many job vacancies were advertised in the Banbury travel-to-work area in the latest month for which figures are available; and how this compares with the same months of the previous year.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkOn 6 January 1984, the numbers of notified vacancies remaining unfilled at the Banbury jobcentre and careers office were 130 and 47, respectively. The corresponding numbers on 7 Janaury 1983 were 92 at the jobcentre and 17 at the careers office.
542WVacancies notified to jobcentres are estimated to be about one third of all vacancies in the country as a whole. Because of possible duplication the figures for jobcentres and careers offices should not be added together. The number of vacancies unfilled at a particular date takes no account of the flow of vacancies being notified, filled or withdrawn which would reflect activity more closely. For example, during the 12-month period to December 1983, the number of people placed in jobs by the Banbury jobcentre was 1,601. It is estimated that, nationally, the public employment service accounts for about one in four of all placings.