§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will make it his policy for job centres to establish with employers the minimum rate of pay for jobs they advertise when the rate is negotiable and to refuse to display advertisements for jobs paying £1 an hour or less; [22211]
(2) what discretion is allowed to jobcentre managers in deciding whether to accept a job advertisement where the wage rate offered is unreasonably low. [22281]
§ Miss WiddecombeResponsibility for the subject of the questions has been delegated to the Employment Service under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter front M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Gordon Prentice, dated 3 May 1995:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions about the policy for servicing vacancies where the wages are negotiable or paying £I an hour or less and what discretion is allowed to Jobcentre managers to refuse an unreasonably low paid job.Wage levels are a matter for agreement between employers and employees and the Employment Service has no role in policing them. However, guidance to staff in Jobcentres is that where an employer notifies a vacancy offering low pay, or with wages below the prevailing rates for the district, they should advise the employer of the local rates of pay for the job. Where employers insist on offering low pay, they are advised that their vacancy may be difficult to fill.My people in Jobcentres will also encourage employers to state a rate of pay where they indicate that wages are negotiable, so that potential applicants have as much information as possible before attending a job interview.In some instances, jobs offering what appears to be a low basic rate of pay may have opportunities to enhance earnings through bonus and commission payments, or offer other benefits such as accommodation. Employers are also encouraged to make these clear in the specification of their vacancy.Until 30 August 1993 in certain industries minimum rates of pay were laid down in Wages Council Orders. Since the abolition of Wages Councils, only agricultural wages are covered by Acts of Parliament and guidance has been issued to Jobcentres to refer any enquiries relating to rates of pay for agricultural workers to the Agricultural Wages Board, or the Scottish Agricultural Wages Board.Whilst Jobcentres will advise an employer offering low pay the difficulties in filling such a vacancy, there is no legal reason why they could refuse to handle their vacancy. We have to accept that the ultimate decision on the wages offered is left to the employer.I hope this is helpful.
§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the lowest hourly rate of pay for a job advertised at the jobcentres in Nelson and Colne 219W for the latest l2 month period for which figures are available. [22203]
§ Miss WiddecombeResponsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter front M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Gordon Prentice, dated 3 May 1995:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the lowest wage rate advertised for vacancies notified to Nelson and Colne Jobcentres over the last twelve months.The information you have requested is not recorded. Supervacs, the computer system used to process notified vacancies, is designed to work as a vacancy recording and circulation system. It does not retain information other than basic data such as Standard Occupational Classification and Standard Industrial Classification. Details such as wage rates, hours of work and job description are not retained by the system once the vacancy is filled or closed.I am sorry I cannot be more helpful.