§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will list the current number of job vacancies in the travel-to-work areas which include the coal mines which British Coal has announced will close; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. McLoughlinPursuant to my answer of 20 October 1992, columns280–81, the chief executive of the Employment Service has written further to the hon. Member.
501WLetter from Mr. M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Max Madden, dated 26 October 1992.
As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question to her about the number of current job vacancies within the travel to work areas for the coal mines which British Coal has announced will close. This is something which falls within the responsibilities she has delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
Unfortunately, my reply of 20 October contained an error in the table. The Cotgrave and Claverton collieries in the Nottingham travel to work area should have read 1,174 unfilled vacancies on 2nd October. The following reply now contains the correct information.
I attach a table showing the number of vacancies unfilled at Jobcentres on 2nd October 1992, the last statistical count date, for each of the relevant travel to work areas. All of the travel to work areas are included as requested although following the statement by the President of the Board of Trade on 19th October only 8 of these areas have a colliery now designated for closure after the statutory consultation period has been completed.
It is not possible to provide information on the total number of job vacancies available in the labour market but it is estimated that about one third of all vacancies are notified to Jobcentres.
I hope this is helpful.
As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.
Colliery Travel to work area Number of unfilled vacancies at local Jobcentres on 2 October 1992 Easington Vane Tempest Durham 313 Wearmouth Sunderland 603 Westoe South Tyneside 146 Wigan and St. Parkside Helens 742 Prince of Wales Sharlston Wakefield and Frickley Dewsbury 705 Rossington Bentley Hatfield/Thorne Markham Main Barnsley, Doncaster, Houghton Main Rotherham and Grimethorpe Mexborough 879 Rotherham and Maltby Mexborough Kiveton Sheffield 1,190 Silverhill Bevercotes Bilsthorpe Worksop, Alfreton Clipstone and Ashfield, Rufford Retford, Mansfield 551 Cotgrave Calverton Nottingham 1,174 Bolsover Markham Shirebrook Chesterfield 352 Trentham Silverdale Stoke 571 Betws Drift Llanelli 351 Shotton, Flint and Point of Ayr Rhyl 574 Merthyr and Taff Merthyr Rhymney 452