§ Mr. Winnickasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide a breakdown of the registered vacancies in (a) the West Midlands and (b) the Walsall travel-to-work area in May 1979 and at the latest available date;
(2) what was the total number of vacancies registered with his Department in the United Kingdom, the West Midlands region and the Walsall travel-to-work area in May 1979; and what are the comparable figures for the latest available date.
§ Mr. AlisonThe following table gives the numbers of vacancies remaining unfilled at May 1979 and January 1982 in the areas specified. The figures relate only to vacancies notified to employment offices and careers offices; vacancies notified to employment offices are estimated to be about one-third of all vacancies in the country as a whole. Because of possible duplication the figures for employment offices and careers offices should not be added together. The number of vacancies unfilled at a particular date takes no account of the flow of vacancies being notified, filled or withdrawn which would reflect activity more closely. For example, during the 12-month period to December 1981, 11,363,108 people were placed in jobs by employment offices and 117,900 by careers offices in the United Kingdom. It is estimated that the public employment service accounts for about one in four of all placings.
Notified vacancies remaining unfilled May 1979 January 1982 United Kingdom Employment offices 267,916 92,432 Careers offices 41,265 4,373 west midlands region Employment offices 16,069 6,191 Careers offices 4,695 460 Walsall travel-to-work area Employment offices 1,169 397 Careers offices 173 21
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the guidelines for the circulation of job vacancies through the VACS system from one area to another area; and whether there will be any differentiation 101W by category of job when it is decided whether a vacancy arising in Wales will be circulated to employment offices in England.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonDecisions about the need for and extent of circulation of vacancies depend upon the availability of local labour, the location of potential labour and the wishes of the employer. These same criteria apply for vacancies in Wales as elsewhere, and whether under a computerised system such as VACS or a manual system.