HC Deb 25 May 1993 vol 225 cc521-2W
Mr. Barnes

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what guidelines her Department has introduced concerning visits by hon. Members to job plan workshops; and if she will make a statement.

Mr. McLoughlin

Responsibility 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 Mr. Harry Barnes, dated 25 May 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 about visits by honourable Members to Jobplan Workshops. This is something which falls within the responsibility she has delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.

The new Jobplan programme was launched by the Secretary of State on the 29 March. The workshops, which normally last for 5 days aim to help people who have been unemployed for a long time to compete more successfully for jobs and other training and employment opportunities.

Jobplan Workshops are run on the Employment Service's behalf by organisations from the private, public and voluntary sectors. Over 650 contracts have been awarded following a full competitive tendering exercise. The workshops provide assessment and guidance to the standards set out in the Statement of Service established by the Training, Enterprise and Education Directorate of the Employment Department.

Members of Parliament are welcome to visit workshops in their constituencies and guidance was issued in February to both Employment Service people and providers to ensure that visits take place as soon as possible after a request is received. I attach a copy of the guidelines which forms part of our contract with Jobplan providers.

Wherever possible we ask for advance notice of a visit so that arrangements can be made to keep disruption to the workshop to a minimum. Someone from the Employment Service will normally accompany a visitor to answer any questions that may arise about the programme.

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.

Access to Programme—Non Employment Service Status

  1. 16.1 The Provider shall notify the Department in writing of proposed visits to the Programme by any person who has taken or will take no direct part in the conduct or content of the Programme (the 'Visitor'). Such persons shall include, but without limitation hereto, Representatives of Unemployment Centres and Members of the Press and Media. Notification shall be at least 7 days in advance in writing except in the event of an unforeseen visit when notification shall be by telephone as soon as possible.
  2. 16.2 Members of Parliament shall be granted access as soon as an accompanying representative of the Department is available.
  3. 16.3 Notification shall not include any person whose presence is related to the conduct or content of the Programme.
  4. 16.4 In dcktermining whether any such person is a person whose visit shall be notified to the Department, as in Clause 16 the Department's view shall be sought.
  5. 16.5 Upon receiving such notification as required by Clause 16 the Department will inform the Provider as soon as reasonably practicable of the following:
    1. (a) Any objection to the timing of the visit or nature of the person visiting. Upon receiving such objection the Provider shall cancel the visit or provide assurances to the satisfaction of the Department that such a visit will not be prejudicial to the conduct of the Programme.
    2. (b) The Department's desire to have its authorised representatives attend at the proposed visit and accompany the visitor(s) and assist the Provider in the provision of information to the visitor.
  6. 16.6 The Department's decision shall be final.