§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Employment by what proportion he anticipates that voluntary registration for employment will depress staffing levels and business volumes in the local offices of his Department.
§ Mr. WaddingtonIt is anticipated that the additional manpower savings in Local Offices of the Department of Employment Group which voluntary registration makes possible will total 1,350 staff. Of these 1,300 will be in jobcentres and employment offices, representing 13 per cent. of staffing at April 1981, and 50 in unemployment benefit offices. That saving is achieved after allowing for the additional 250 staff to be allocated in jobcentres to provide help and guidance to the longer term unemployed. 750 of the 1,350 staff to be saved will be counted towards savings which the employment service was already committed to make by 1984. It is not possible to assess the effects of voluntary registration on business volumes, but jobcentre usage is expected to remain high and the decision to introduce voluntary registration will result in a significant reduction in non-productive work in jobcentres.