§ Mr. Wallerasked the Secretary of State for the Employment if he will arrange for jobcentres to be opened on Saturday mornings; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe Manpower Services Commission plans to open a number of jobcentres on Saturday mornings for an experimental period of 16 weeks, starting on 16 April. These are: 189W
Areas London Midlands Scotland Wood Green Dudley Coatbridge Wardour Street Northfield Easter House Finchley Oswestry Glasgow Central Croydon Alfreton Irvine Eltham Lincoln Stirling Northampton South East Wales North West Eastbourne Aberystwyth Blackburn Portsmouth Cardiff Commercial Beswick Abingdon Colwyn Bay Worsley Peterborough Chester Milton Keynes (Central) Williamson Square St. Helens South West North East Newton Abbott Houghton le Spring Bournemouth Newcastle Washington Yorks and Humberside Bradford Leeds Commercial In addition, Yeovil jobcentre will be taking part in the experiment from a later date.
Jobcentres provide public access to a wide range of MSC services including training, services for disabled employees and information and advice on a wide range of
Registered unemployed Unemployed claimants Unemployed for over 52 weeks Unemployed for over 52 weeks April 1979 October 1982 October 1982* January 1983 West midlands region Number 34,154 155,741 129,706 149,439 As a percentage of total unemployed 28.6 41.0 36.7 40.7 Percentage increase 356.0 15.2 Dudley and Sandwell travel-to-work area Number 3,227 21,790 18,902 21,603 As a percentage of total unemployed 25.7 43.1 38.5 42.2 Percentage increase 575.2 14.3 Wolverhampton travel-to-work area Number 2,442 11,406 9,396 11,313 As a percentage of total unemployed 30.3 43.4 38.1 43.9 Percentage increase 367.1 20.4 Walsall travel-to-work area Number 2,495 13,452 11,286 12,953 As a percentage of total unemployed 28.8 42.1 37.2 40.9 Percentage increase 439.2 14.8 * Excludes a number of claimants unemployed for over 52 weeks estimated to be about 4 per cent, nationally.