HC Deb 21 May 1981 vol 5 cc144-5W
Mr. Foster

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current total number of employees at the Manpower Services Commission employment service division in the general placing service.

Mr. Peter Morrison

[pursuant to his reply]I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that 6,878 staff were employed in the general placing service in local offices of the employment service division on 1 April 1981. The figure excludes an estimated 830 staff in the division's head office, area offices and district managers' offices who provide administrative and specialist support.

Mr. Foster

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied that the staffing levels proposed for the employment service division general placing service in the Manpower Services Commission for the years 1981 to 1985 is adequate to provide an efficient and cost-effective employment service to meet employers' and job seekers' needs; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Peter Morrison

[pursuant to his reply]The Government are concerned to keep staffing in the Civil Service under strict control. In keeping with this, the number of staff in the general placing service in local offices of the public employment service will be reduced to an estimated level of 6,155 by 1 April 1985. This estimate takes no account of the proposal for any cuts associated with making registration for work voluntary, which is under consideration.

I am satisfied that the employment service division will be able to provide an effective service to employers and job seekers.

Mr. Foster

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what staff savings are currently proposed in the general placing service staff at the employment service division, Manpower Services Commission, for each year until 1985; and what staff savings were proposed in 1980 for those staff for each year until 1985.

Mr. Peter Morrison

[pursuant to his reply]The following information has been provided by the Manpower Services Commission about the staff savings proposed in the general placing service of the employment service division.

Projected Staffing Levels
Current plans* 1980 proposals
April 1981 7,003 (-161)
April 1982 6,692 (-186) 6,692 (-311)
April 1983 6,377 (-315) 6,362 (-330)
April 1984 6,179 (-198) 6,428 (+ 66)
April 1985 6,155 (- 24) 6,427 (- 1)
TOTAL (-723) †(-737)
* This allocation of staff is provisional and subject to revision.
† Includes planned reduction of 161 during 1980–81.

The staff costs of administrative and specialist support services provided by the division's head office, area offices and district managers' offices are not included.

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