HC Deb 07 December 1945 vol 416 cc2823-4W
Sir E. Graham-Little

asked the Minister of Labour the number of the staff of the Appointments Branch on 15th May, 1944, and its present number, respectively; how many appointments have been made through the agency of this branch and what percentage of these were to Government Department; what percentage of vacancies were filled by the individual efforts of the applicant, though subsequently credited to the Appointments Branch; what is the total number of people on the live register; and what percentage of those who have registered fail to maintain themselves on the register by re-registration after the period of two months.

Mr. Isaacs

On 31st May, 1944, the nearest date for which figures are available the staff employed in the Appointments Department (i.e., in Appointments Offices, Nursing Sub-Offices and the Technical and Scientific Register Branch) numbered 955. This figure excludes messengers and typists and the staff of Headquarters Branches. The corresponding figure for 30th November, 1945, was 1,729. The number of placings effected by the Appointments Department (excluding the Nursing Branch) is shown in the following table:

March, 1942–31st Dec. 1942 15,802
1st Jan. 1943–31st Dec. 1943 25,377
1st Jan. Jan. 1944–31st Dec. 1944 26,556
1st Jan. 1945–30th Nov. 1945 27,643

Figures for placings effected by the Nursing Branch are not available for the same period; during the period November, 1943-September, 1945, 71,950 placings were effected by this Branch. Figures are not available to show what proportion of these placings related to Government employment. It is not clear what the hon. Member has in mind in referring to vacancies filled by the individual efforts of the applicant. Where neither employer nor applicant has recourse to the placing machinery of Appointments Department, the placing is not recorded as having been effected through the agency of the Appointments Department. On 30th November, 1945, 21,715 persons (both men and women) were registered as unemployed with the Appointments Department (20,634 at Appointments Offices, and 1,081 with the Technical and Scientific Register). Figures are not available for the "live" register of the Nursing Branch. Persons registered for employment at Appointments Offices are required to maintain their registrations by renewal at two-monthly intervals. Figures are not available to show the proportion of registrations which lapse owing to failure to renew on the part of the registrant.