HC Deb 24 July 1973 vol 860 cc349-50W
Mr. Harold Walker

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will ensure that the administration of the Manpower Services Commission and its subordinate agencies in so far as it applies to South Yorkshire will be located within the metropolitan county.

Mr. Mason

asked the Secretary of State for Employment why the Barnsley district of the Employment Service Agency is to be part of the East Midlands Area; and where the headquarters of the Employment Service Agency for the Yorkshire and Humberside Region is to be.

Mr. Chichester-Clark

Barnsley, together with Mexborough and Don-caster, will form a management district which, together with a Sheffield district, will ensure effective organisation of the employment service in the metropolitan county.

These districts will be part of the East Midlands Employment Services area. The general policy is that separate metropolitan counties should be included in separate management areas, as in the case of the South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire metropolitan counties. The Employment Service area office for West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire and Humberside—the East Pennine area—will be in Leeds.

My right hon. Friend does not propose to give a direction to the commission when it is set up about the location of the offices of the agencies with responsibility for South Yorkshire.

Mr. Harold Walker

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what staff transfers or changes he expects will occur in South Yorkshire, and which particular towns will be affected, when the Manpower Services Commission and its subordinate agencies are established.

Mr. Chichester-Clark

It is not envisaged that compulsory geographic transfers of staff in South Yorkshire will arise as a result of the establishment of the Manpower Services Commission itself or the Training Services Agency.

Detailed plans for the new organisation of the Employment Service Agency in the South Yorkshire metropolitan county are still being prepared. A firm objective is to meet, as far as possible, the preferences of individual members of staff for place and type of work, and to keep compulsory transfers to a minimum.