HC Deb 20 June 1979 vol 968 cc573-4W
Mr. Thompson

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what changes are to be made to the Manpower Services Commission schemes to promote geographical mobility of labour in order to achieve financial savings.

Mr. Prior

I am informed by the MSC that the following changes will be made:

A Employment Transfer Scheme Under the employment transfer scheme people who are unemployed, or threatened with redundancy, can be given cash help to move to take up work beyond normal daily travelling distance of their homes.

(i) Local Labour Market Rules At present two of the conditions for receiving assistance apply only to moves from places outside the assisted areas. These conditions are that there are

  1. (a) no reasonable prospects of suitable employment in the home area; and
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  2. (b) no suitable unemployed registrants in the new area.
In future these local labour market rules will apply also to moves from places in the assisted areas.

(ii) Disturbance Allowance At present disturbance allowance is payable to single workers without dependants who move from assisted areas. This allowance will, in future, be paid only for moves originating in special development areas where the destination of the move is of lower assisted area status (e.g. to a development area).

(iii) Transfer Grants At present transfer grants towards the incidental expenses of moving home are paid to workers with dependants. There is a higher rate for all moves originating in assisted areas. In future the higher rate will be payable for moves originating in special development or development areas only if:

  1. (a) the destination of the move is of lower assisted area status than its origin (e.g. in the case of a move from a special development area); or
  2. (b) the applicant is a former textile or clothing worker, or is moving to take up a vacancy in certain skilled occupations in designated industrial sectors which has been unfilled for eight weeks or more.
The higher rate will no longer be payable in respect of any move originating in an intermediate area.

(iv) Temporary Transfers Temporary transfers will no longer be eligible for assistance.

B Key Workers Scheme Under this scheme employment transfer scheme type assistance is given where employers move key workers to new or expanding establishments in assisted areas. This scheme will be discontinued.

C Job Search Scheme Under this scheme financial assistance is given to those who are unemployed to look for employment beyond normal daily travelling distance of their homes. At present, the two local labour market rules (in paragraph A above) apply only to people whose home is not in an assisted area. In future they will apply to everyone.

Implementation Date The above changes will apply to applications received by MSC local offices after 30 June.

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