§ Mr. Prescottasked the Paymaster General how many unemployment review officers-claimant advisers are employed in the DE group; how many work in unemployment benefit offices; how many are currently placed in jobcentres; and how many are planned to be working in jobcentres by January 1987.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeAs announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services on 23 July, at columns 304–5, claimant advisers are being introduced into unemployment benefit offices to replace unemployment review officers operating in the Department of Health and Social Security. There will be 171 advisers in post by the end of November, rising to 640 by the end of march 1987. All claimant advisers will be Department of Employment staff working from unemployment benefit offices. They may make local arrangements to interview in jobcentres, but we will not collect figures on the numbers making such arrangements.