HC Deb 04 February 1994 vol 236 cc1001-2W
Mr. Bayley

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of the population was served by an Employment Service one-stop shop and what percentage was served by seperate employment and benefit offices at July 1993.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

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. Hugh Bayley, dated 4 February 1994: The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the percentage of the population served by our one-stop offices. The Employment Service (ES) is working progressively to bring Jobcentre and Benefit Office services together under one roof. This network will provide a new and improved one-stop service offering the full range of ES services to help people back to work. It is expected that this will be completed by March 1996 when there will be a network of some 1,100 offices. By July 1993 we had opened 787 of these new style Jobcentres. Although we cannot say what percentage of the national population they serve we do know that they provide an integrated service to some 68 per cent. of our unemployed clients. The remaining 32 per cent. are served by our separate networks of benefit offices and Jobcentres. I hope this is helpful.