§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much it cost his Department to move the Irvine unemployment benefit office and the Irvine jobcentre into the same purpose-built facility in Irvine.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythResponsibility 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. Brian Donohoe, dated 19 January 1994:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about how much it cost his Department to move the Irvine Unemployment Benefit Office and the Irvine Jobcentre into the same purpose built facility in Irvine.
Since 1990 the Employment Service (ES) has been pursuing a policy of bringing together Unemployment Benefit Offices (UBO) and Jobcentres with the aim of providing a more efficient and effective service to our clients. Already 824 offices have been integrated nationally in this way and ES plan to have 1,100 such outlets by March 1996. Irvine featured as part of this programme of integration and the new office opened for business on 9 August 1993.
The new Jobcentre at Irvine has been acquired on a 25-year lease at an annual rental of £115,400 subject to five-year rent reviews. Capital costs of fitting out were £338,000. Costs will be offset by the disposal not only of both the former UBO and Jobcentre but also premises for the Jobclub which is now accommodated in the new building. Investment appraisal of the new office running costs over a 25-year period demonstrates that it is a cheaper option than retention of the former premises.
I hope this is helpful.