HC Deb 10 February 1995 vol 254 cc468-72W
Mr. Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when the internal working group was set up in Scotland to develop Employment Service services for Employment Service clients living in rural areas.

Miss Widdecombe

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 A. G. Johnson to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 10 February 1995: The Secretary of State has asked me, in the absence on business of the Chief Executive, to reply to your question about when the internal working group was set up in Scotland. The working group was established to address issues concerning the provision of Employment Service programmes and services in rural areas and to look at ways in which improvements could be made to assist our clients in these areas. The first meeting was held on 25 November 1994. I hope this is helpful.

Mr. Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will list by region those areas which have access to Employment Service freephone services in Scotland;

(2) if he will list by region the number of mobile jobcentres operating in Scotland;

(3) if he will list by region which press and radio are used to publicise Employment Service services in Scotland.

Miss Widdecombe

Responsibility for the subject of the questions 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 A. G. Johnson to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 10 February 1995: The Secretary of State has asked me, in the absence on business of the Chief Executive, to reply to your questions about Scotland concerning the areas which have access to Employment Service (ES) freephone services, the number of mobile Jobcentres, and press and radio used to publicise ES services. The information you require is listed, by Regional and Island Council Authorities, in the following tables. I hope this is helpful.

Table 1: Freephone services for clients in Scotland
Regional authority Jobcentre Area served
Strathclyde Campbeltown Kintyre
Islay
Jura
Gigha
Oban Lochgilphead
Inverary
Tarbet
Coll
Colonsay
Iona
Mull
Tiree
Kilmarnock A Irvine Valley Stewarton
Kilmamock B
Kilmaurs
Kilwinning Dalry
Borders Eyemouth Roxburgh and Berwickshire
Hawick
Kelos
Galashiels Ettrick
Lauderdale
Peeblesshire
Shetland Islands Council Lerwick Shetland Isles
Lothian Portobello Craigmillar
Highland Inverness Inverness
Ullapool
Drumnadrochit
Gairloch
Aviemore
Grantown on Spey
Black Isle

Table 2: Mobile jobcentre for clients in Scotland
Regional authority Jobcentre Area served
Fife Cupar Auchtermuchty
Newburgh
Leven Anstruther
Kirkcaldy Burntisland
Dunfermline Dalgety Bay
Valleyfield
Rosyth
Kincardine
Cowdenbeath Cardenden
Kinross
Lochore

Table 3: Press and radio publicity in Scotland
Regional authority Press/Radio
Strathclyde Gryffe Weekly News
Paisley Gazette
Paisley Express
Lanark Gazette
Wishaw Press
Motherwell Times
Lanarkshire People
Lanarkshire World
Clyde Weekly News
Daily Record
Glasgow Herald
Glasgow Evening Times
Drumchapel News
County Reporter
Oban Times
The Star
Lennox Herald
Irvine Times
Irvine Herald
Cumnock Chronicle
Ayr Advertiser
Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald
Troon Times
Carrick Herald
Kilmarnock Standard
Ayrshire Leader
Ayrshire Post
Arran Banner
Largs and Millport Weekly
Garnock Herald
Greenock Telegraph
Clyde Post
The Buteman
Dunoon Observer
Glaswegian
East End Independent
Hamilton Advertiser
Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser
East Kilbride News
Wishaw Press
Rutherglen Reformer
Lanarkshire World
Southside Extra
Castlemilk Free Press
Scottish Jobs
East End Independent
Cumbemauld News
Kirkintilloch Advertiser
Radio Clyde
Q96
West Sound Radio
Borders Southern Reporter
Pebblesshire News
Borders Telegraph
Hawick News
Berwickshire News
Tayside Courier and Advertiser (Dundee)
Evening Telegraph (Dundee)
Perthshire Advertiser
Blairgowrie Advertiser
Arbroath Herald
Montrose Review
Tayside Business News
Radio Tay
Fife Fife Free Press
Courier and Advertiser (Fife)
East Fife Mail
Fife Leader
Dunfermline Press

Table 3: Press and radio publicity in Scotland
Regional authority Press/Radio
Dunfermline Extra
Central Fife Times
Dunfermline Herald and Post
Dumfries and Galloway Dumfries and Galloway Standard
Galloway Gazette
Wigtown Free Press
Dumfries Courier
Annandale Herald
Annandale Observer
Central Stirling Observer
Falkirk Herald
Alloa Advertiser
Lothian Edinburgh Evening News
Wester Hailes Sentinel
Portobello Advertiser
East Lothian Toun Crier
Craigmillar Festival Society News
Midlothian Advertiser
Lothian Times
Lothian News
Lothian Courier
Herald and Post
Musselburgh News
Radio Forth
Hailes FM (Wester Hailes)
Highland Press and Journal
Northern Scot
Highland News
Ross-shire Journal
Lochaber Life
John O'Groats Journal
Fort William Star
Moray Firth Radio
BBC Highland
Moray Firth Radio
Nevis Radio
Grampian Press and Journal
Evening Express
Fraserburgh Herald
Buchan Observer
Shetland Islands Council Shetland
Shetland Radio
Western Isles Island Stornoway Gazette
Radio FM
Orkney Islands Council The Orcadian
BBC Radio Orkney

Mr. Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what is the timetable for linking(a) libraries, (b) community centres and (c) other focal points in rural communities to the Employment Service

computer network;

(2) what system is in place to ensure that vacancy displays in post offices, libraries, community centres and other focal points in rural communities are regularly updated.

Miss Widdecombe

Responsibility for the subject of the questions 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 A. G. Johnson to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 10 February 1995. The Secretary of State has asked me, in the absence on business of the Chief Executive, to reply to your questions about the systems used to update vacancy displays in rural locations and the timetable for linking such locations to the Employment Service (ES) computer network. The currency of vacancies in Jobcentres is one of the standards of performance outlined in the ES Jobseeker's Charter. Our aim is that when clients look at our job vacancy boards, they will find the vacancies up to date and available. Where vacancies are displayed at locations other than Jobcentres such as libraries or community centres, this aim may be achieved by way of local agreements with the relevant organisations who, on our instruction, remove old vacancies and replace them with new ones. Alternatively, one of my officers will travel to visit the location to update the displays. In some cases, depending on the distances between the Jobcentre and the vacancy display, both activities will take place. There are no plans to link these outside locations to our present computerised vacancy handling system, "Supervacs".