§ Mr. Tom Coxasked the Paymaster General what plans he has to allow local jobcentres funds for training within their area; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LangThe Manpower Services Commission's training budget is administered by the commission's training division, through its head office and network of local offices. In addition, the commission's employment division will be running restart courses for long-term unemployed people, which will be administered on a local basis.
§ Mr. Tom Coxasked the Paymaster General what is his policy on staff working in local jobcentres visiting firms and so on in their areas to keep staff aware of local employment; and how often such visits take place.
§ Mr. LangJobcentre staff are required to visit firms in their area to keep aware of local market conditions. Visits are sometimes designed specifically for staff to enhance their industrial and occupational knowledge. More usually, however, visits are designed to combine the learning and information seeking processes with the opportunity to canvass current or future vacancies and to explain jobcentre services.
Jobcentre managers usually visit new firms as a priority and they respond to ad hoc requests to discuss individual queries or problems. The frequency of planned visits varies regionally as discretion is given to regional employment managers.
§ Mr. Tom Coxasked the Paymaster General what record is kept by jobcentres of all local industries in their areas.
§ Mr. LangMost jobcentres keep records of firms in their areas in the form of "business activity cards". These show information relating to the number and type of vacancies notified and placement figures. Additional information collected includes the type of business and product, the number of employees, the main occupations employed and where appropriate, the firms' position in relation to the employment of disabled people.