§ Mr. McCartneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what research has been carried out into the feasibility of safety screens for Employment Service staff dealing with the jobseeker's allowance; and if he will make a statement.
§ Miss WiddecombeResponsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment 431W Service under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Ian McCartney, dated 27 January 1995:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about what research has been carried out into the feasibility of safety screens for Employment Service (ES) staff who would administer the proposed Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA).The ES is currently considering what safety measures will be appropriate as and when the proposed JSA is introduced.A generic risk assessment has concluded that most JSA processes can be handled in an open plan environment. Local risk assessments will be carried out in all of our local offices.I hope this is helpful.
§ Mr. McCartneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many assaults have been committed on staff in the Employment Service and Department of Employment in each year since 1979(a) nationally, (b) by region and (c) by individual office; and if he will make a statement.
Miss WiddercombeI am able to supply statistics for the period 1989 to September 1994. No earlier statistics are available. I am sorry that details at individual office level could be obtained only at disproportionate cost to the taxpayer.
Employment Service 1989—September 1994 reported assaults (all types) Region 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 11994 Yorkshire and Humberside 46 79 112 81 126 104 North west 125 144 170 199 185 168 London and south east 695 608 520 455 593 440 Northern 51 86 60 72 52 102 South west 72 117 83 131 149 113 Wales 21 30 45 57 41 47 Scotland 56 73 67 83 85 52 East Midlands 93 118 79 103 99 148 West Midlands 50 135 98 208 115 114 Total 1,209 1,390 1,234 1,389 1,445 1,288 This table includes statistics of all reported assaults. These include actual physical assaults, attempted physical assaults and verbal abuse. Of the 7,955 incidents reported during the period, 1,065 were actual assaults, 1,197 were attempted assaults and 5,693 were incidents of verbal abuse. Most of the actual assaults do not result in an injury and only a small proportion of injuries require any kind of medical treatment. 1 This is a nine month figure
Department of Employment Statistics: 1990–1994 Department 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 Health and SafetyExecutive 6 1 7 13 ACAS nil nil nil 1 Employment Department nil nil nil nil All parts of the Department regard any assault as serious. Those parts of the group that experience assaults are keenly aware of the issues and take appropriate steps either to eliminate the risk or to reduce it, so far as is reasonably practicable. Such steps would include providing information on the risks, appropriate training and the issue of protective equipment such as attack alarms and mobile telephones.