§ Mr. Nigel JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what plans her Department has to extend the range of services offered by jobcentres to the unemployed; and if she will make a statement;
(2) what are the rules by which jobcentre managers accept advertisements for services to the unemployed; and if she will make a statement;
(3) what plans her Department has to give jobcentre managers greater discretion on acceptance of advertisements for services to the unemployed; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. McLoughlinResponsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Nigel Jones, dated 14 January 1993:
As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Questions to her about the range of services offered by Jobcentres, the policy on advertising in Jobcentres and the flexibility which my local managers have on the display of advertising material. These fall within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.The Secretary of State for Employment recently announced a new package of Employment Service measures aimed at providing nearly 500,000 extra opportunities in 1993–94 for long-term unemployed and other people disadvantaged in the labour market. As part of this package, we are introducing a new Jobplan workshop for people unemployed for 12 months. Jobplan will be a five day assessment workshop, which will help identify strengths and skills, set new job goals and draw up an action plan for the client's route back to work.We are also expanding our Jobclub and Job Interview Guarantee programmes, which have proved to be very successful, as well as implementing a significant development of Work Trials. Work trials allow people the chance to try out a job for up to three weeks while retaining their entitlement to benefit.Jobclub is aimed at people who have been unemployed for six months or more, and others at a disadvantage in the labour market. Jobclub members are given help and guidance in a variety of job hunting methods including interview technique, advice on applying for jobs, completion of application forms and preparation of CVs. Members also have access to telephones, stationery, newspapers, stamps and other resources.The Job Interview Guarantee Scheme is also aimed at people who have been unemployed for six months or more. It offers employers a fuller recruitment and selection service in return for a guarantee that they will consider our long-term unemployed clients for their vacancies. I enclose a leaflet setting out the full range of help which unemployed people can access through Jobcentres.Our policy for advertising services in Jobcentres is that my local office managers have full discretion to allow companies to display material likely to help our clients find work or training opportunities, providing there is sufficient space available and that no charge is made to the jobseeker for the service offered. There are no plans to change this arrangement.As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.