§ Mr. Squireasked the Paymaster General what arrangements exist within his Department, within the central headquarters or in any regional or sub-regional organisation, for dealing with his responsibilities regarding public services or any other function in respect of the Greater London area; and how many full-time equivalent staff are involved in such work.
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§ Mr. LeeGreater London is one of 10 regions in the regional directorate structure of the Manpower Services Commission. There is a regional director for employment and enterprise and one for vocational education and training. Some 2,200 staff are employed in delivering services to Greater London. It is also one of nine regions for the Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service with approximately 100 staff and its own regional director. In the unemployment benefit service, since 1984 Greater London has been served by two of its nine regions—southern region extending south of the Thames and eastern region extending north of the Thames. Some 4,400 of the staff of these two regional benefit managers are involved in providing services in Greater London.
Some field staff of the Health and Safety Executive, principally in the Factory Inspectorate, are based in the area offices in north and south London. Other services provided by my Department (and by the Health and Safety Executive) for Greater London are managed centrally, although there are local or sub-regional offices in London for redundancy payments, the Wages Inspectorate, Employment Agency, licensing, had the Careers Service Inspectorate. Any further breakdown of staffing numbers would involve national attributions and would not he on the same basis as the figures quoted above.
§ Mr. Squireasked the Paymaster General with which Departments and non-departmental bodies his Department and its related non-departmental public bodies has consulted during 1986–87 in respect of services provided within Greater London; approximately how often such consultations have taken place; and what issues were discussed.
§ Mr. LeeThe Department of Employment, the Manpower Services Commission and the Health and Safety Executive are continuously in touch with a range of other Government Departments and non-departmental bodies regarding services within Greater London as in the rest of Great Britain. A wide range of issues is discussed.
§ Mr. Squireasked the Paymaster General whether there are any proposals to change the arrangements for discharging his Department's responsibilities regarding public services or any other function in respect of the Greater London area during the forthcoming year.