§ Mrs. FyfeTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many job centres are advertising jobs at rates of pay below the relevant wages council minimum; and what steps she takes to monitor the extent to which her Department's rules on the subject are followed.
§ Mr. McLoughlinResponsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mrs. Maria Fyfe, dated 25 February 1993:
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 Jobcentres advertising rates of pay below the relevant Wages Council minimum and what steps she takes to monitor the extent to which her Department's rules on the subject are followed. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.Jobcentres do not advertise vacancies which offer rates of pay below the relevant Wages Council minimum. Jobcentres have comprehensive instructions giving guidance to staff on the action to be taken when a vacancy covered by a Wages Council Order is notified. If the employer is unwilling to pay the Wages Council minimum then my people are instructed not to accept the vacancy and to refer the case to the Department of Employment Wages Inspectorate. My managers check that the instructions are being followed as part of their standard managerial controls.I hope this is helpful.As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.