§ Mr. GunnellTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) for how many hours each Benefits Agency office within the Leeds metropolitan district was open for advice to members of the public during a full working week in May 1997; and what were the comparable figures for May 1996; [10671]
(2) what was the average number of visits by members of the public at each Benefits Agency office in the Leeds metropolitan district during the period April to June 1997; and what were the comparable figures for April to June 1996. [10672]
§ Mr. Keith BradleyWe will streamline services to provide better, simpler more efficient services to claimants and other customers. Queries on operational matters are for the chief executive of the Benefits Agency, Peter Mathison. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. John Gunnell, dated 29 July 1997:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about the Benefits Agency offices within the Leeds Metropolitan District.The information available is shown in the attached tables. The BA district in Leeds has offices at Leeds East, North, North-West, South and West. There has been a BA presence, offering advice and information to unemployed customers, in Employment Service Jobcentres since the introduction of Job Seekers Allowance in October 1996.The caller offices in Otley, Rothwell and Morley were closed on 31 Janaury 1997 and the opening hours in Leeds East, South and West wereextended on 24 February 1997.I hope you find this reply helpful.362W
align="center">Benefits agency Leeds district office opening hours May 1996 May 1997 Branch offices Leeds East 35½ 36 Leeds South 35½ 36 Leeds West 35½ 36 Leeds North West 36 36 Leeds North 36 36 Caller offices Otley 13 — Rothwell 30 — Morley 31¼ — Employment service jobcentres Otley — 36 Rothwell — 35 Morley — 35½ Guiseley — 36 Pudsey — 37
align="center">Benefits agency Leeds district office opening hours May 1996 May 1997 Seacroft — 36 Stanningley — 36 Hunslet — 36½ Dysons — 36½ Eastgate — 36½ Figures are provisional and subject to change.
Average number of visits from public in the benefits agency Leeds district April to June 1996 and 1997 Average number Callers April—June 1996 Leeds East 5,910 Leeds South 12,948 Leeds West 3,294 Leeds North West 24,588 Leeds North 4,809 Callers April—June 1997 Leeds East 35,028 Leeds South 1,564 Leeds West 2,863 Leeds North West 3,766 Leeds North 4,819 Figures are provisional and subject to change. 1 This figure includes callers to the Rothwell and Morley caller offices 2 This figure includes callers to the Otley caller office. 3 This figure includes 1,152 BA callers to the Employment Service jobcentres.