§ Mr. Norman Lamontasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the hours of opening of unemployment benefit offices.
§ Mr. Maurice MacmillanFrom 1st November, offices of my Department will close to the public for unemployment benefit purposes at 4 p.m. instead of 5 p.m. as at present.
Since the introduction of payment by post, experience has shown that little unemployment benefit business is transacted with members of the public in the late afternoon and that there should be an overall improvement in service if, at this hour of the day, counter clerks are released to concentrate on the preparation and despatch of claims and other administrative work necessary to ensure prompt payment of benefits.
Offices providing all other services, including the employment service, will continue to open for these purposes from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.