§ Mr. DismoreTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects job points to be installed in(a) Burnt Oak Library, (b) Hendon Job Centre and (c) Mill Hill Job Centre; and if he will make a statement. [133062]
§ Mr. BrowneThe administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, David Anderson. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from David Anderson to Andrew Dismore, dated 23 October 2003:
As Jobcentre Plus is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning the installation of Jobpoints in Burnt Oak Library, Hendon and Mill Hill Jobcentres. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
I can confirm that a Jobpoint is scheduled to be installed in Burnt Oak Library on 28 October 2003. The availability of the Jobpoint in the Library will be publicised in local Jobcentres through posters and leaflets and leaflets will also be issued to customers using the library. To further publicise the new Jobpoint service an official launch is planned later this year in December.
Jobcentre Plus staff currently visit the Library every two weeks to provide face to face advice and jobsearch assistance. This will continue after the Jobpoint has been installed.
Hendon already has eight Jobpoints, which were installed in May 2001. Mill Hill also already has eight Jobpoints, which were installed in November 2001.
I hope this is helpful.
§ Paul HolmesTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many representations he has received in the last 12 months opposing the closure of local Jobcentre Plus offices; which organisations submitted these representations; and if he will make a statement. [113260]
§ Mr. BrowneThe administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Jobcentre Plus, David Anderson. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from David Anderson to Paul Holmes dated 28 July 2003:
As Jobcentre Plus is an Executive Agency, I have been asked to reply to your question concerning representations to the Secretary of State regarding the closure of local Jobcentre Plus offices. This falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
708WDuring the past 12 months, there have been forteen represenations in the form of parliamentary questions or letters to the Secretary of State from MPs expressing concern about the delivery plans of Jobcentre Plus and specifically about the closure of offices. In addition to responding to these representations in writing, both the Minister of State for Work, Nick Brown, and the Project Director for Jobcentre Plus, Jeremy Groombridge, met with a number of MPs to give assurances about the level of service that will be provided.
At the Jobcentre Plus District level, managers have and will continue to consult with the widest possible range of people about the service they are planning to provide. Local advice and welfare groups, local authorities and MPs are essential sources of guidance in this matter. Any representions resulting from this consultation process are collated by District Managers.
Jobcentre Plus is delivering a radical change in the way that benefits and employment services are provided to people of working age. By 2006, there will be around 1,000 newly integrated offices across the country which will provide customers with a 'one-stop' service for benefits, advice and jobs. Over 250 offices are offering this new service already and 8 out of 10 customers tell us they are satisfied with all elements of the new service.
These new Jobcentre Plus services are customer focussed. The new offices enable customers to make enquiries about both their benefits and employment opportunities in the same place. Our new telephone contact centres mean that customers can make enquiries about both benefits and jobs without even having to come into one of our offices. The introduction of new technology is also enabling people to find the information they need about jobs and training via the Internet and our new Jobpoints. Jobpoints are not just being placed in Jobcentre Plus offices, they are also being placed in other public places such as libraries and supermarkets. All of these developments are making it easier for our customers to take advantage of the services we provide.
I hope this is helpful.
§ Tony CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many job points there are in prisons in the UK. [133953]
§ Malcolm WicksThe administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, David Anderson. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from David Anderson to Tony Cunningham, dated 23 October 2003:
As Jobcentre Plus is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning how many Jobpoints there are in prisons in the UK. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
709WWe have piloted a new scheme placing Jobpoints in four prisons to establish if this will assist prisoners in finding jobs. These were installed between July and October 2002 and have proved to be successful. Jobpoints were distributed as follows:
- HMP Featherstone: 1 Jobpoint
- HMP Hollesley Bay: 1 Jobpoint
- HMP Lewes: 2 Jobpoints
- HMP Swansea: 2 Jobpoints
We are planning to install Jobpoints in a further ten prisons in late spring/early summer 2004.
I hope this is helpful.