§ Mrs. BrookeTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the membership organisations of the Job Centre Plus Provider Liasion Group. [168632]
§ Jane KennedyThe 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 Mrs. Annette Brooke, dated 6 May 2004:
As Jobcentre Plus is an Executive Agency. the Secretary of State has asked me to reply direct to your question about the membership organisations of the Jobcentre Plus Provider Liaison Group. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
The Jobcentre Plus Provider Liaison Group's membership includes representatives from several of our largest work-based private sector providers, together with providers in the voluntary and community sector, smaller private providers and Further Education establishments. In addition, membership includes the Association of Learning Providers (ALP), a trade body for the work-based sector who represent approximately 30 per cent. of Jobcentre Plus providers. The Group is supported by a small secretariat from Jobcentre Plus. Full membership of the Group is set out in Annex 1.
The purpose of the Group is to provide a forum in which providers are consulted on changes to policy and operational processes. In practice this gives them the opportunity to comment upon policies from their perspective as of organisations that deliver these policies. The Group enables Jobcentre Plus to obtain the views of providers from a wide background and should help ensure that our business can be delivered more effectively and efficiently.
I hope this is helpful.
1782W
Annex 1: Jobcentre plus provider group membership Contact Provider David Bailey Action for Employment Steve Marsland Action for Employment Pat Taylor Personnel Evaluation Consultants George Allon BTCV Roger Cole Pelcombe Training Stephanie Baslington Rathbone Janet Pibworth Seetec Jim McIntosh Shaw Trust Teresa Jolly/Colin Kearney Sheffield city council George Baines Standguide Jim Gambles Standguide Martin Dunford TBG learning Dawn Marsh The Training Network Group A Townson Bournemouth and Poole College Gerard Irwin Reed Co. UK. Sian Woolson Dash Training Ltd. Diane Prosser Dash Training Ltd. Sharon Cooke Bethany Group Sarah Cooke DHP enterprises David Cameron Scottish Council for voluntary organisations Sarah Knight Instant Muscle Paul Warner ALP Adrienne Nolan WACG LMD Skills and Int Beth Simpson DFES Peter Jordan LSC David Williams TD management Services Jill Valentine UFI
§ Charles HendryTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what the duties and responsibilities of Jobcentre Plus personal advisors are; [169973]
(2) what the set-up costs of Jobcentre Plus have been; [170023]
(3) how many (a) Jobcentre and (b) Jobcentre Plus centres there are in England. [170025]
§ Jane KennedyThe 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 Mr. Charles Hendry, dated 6 May 2004:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions concerning the cost of introducing Jobcentre Plus, the numbers of offices delivering our services to the public and what the duties and responsibilities of personal advisors are. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
The total cost recorded for Jobcentre Plus Implementation to the end of March 2004 is £608.9 million. Some financial adjustments still need to be made and the final figure for the year end is expected to show an increase on this amount.
In England our delivery network comprises:
- 388 Jobcentre Plus offices
- 454 Jobcentres
- 237 Social Security offices
We plan to complete the rollout of the new integrated service across Great Britain by 31 March 2006.
Jobcentre Plus is helping a wider range of customers than ever to secure employment with special focus on those customers who have to overcome particular barriers. Jobcentre Plus services are work focused for all customers, with personal advisers addressing individual customer needs.
1783WPersonal advisers make a key contribution to realising the Jobcentre Plus vision of a welfare system for people of working age that promotes work as the best form of welfare while providing appropriate help and support for those without jobs. They also deliver the service through which Jobcentre Plus will meet many of its aims, objectives and performance targets.
The key responsibilities for personal advisers are to:
carry out diagnostic, work targeted interviews to help customers understand the benefits of working and agree a realistic course of action to gain or move them closer to employment;submit customers to appropriate vacancies;manage a caseload of customers;develop and maintain partnership working with Jobcentre Plus colleagues and employers/relevant external organisations to improve and extend the range of support for customers; andhelp to protect the integrity of the benefit system by making sure people fulfil their responsibilities and remain entitled to benefit.I hope this is helpful.