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Public Agencies

Volume 931: debated on Thursday 12 May 1977

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asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the sources and amounts of finance provided for the Employment Services Agency, the Unemployment Benefits Office and the

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 7th April 1977; Vol. 929, c. 691], circulated the following information:Training Services Agency in Hertfordshire.

The sources of finance for the Unemployment Benefit Service are the National Insurance Fund—for unemployment benefit—and voted funds—for supplementary allowances. The Employment Service Agency and the Training Services Agency are financed through a grant in aid, borne on the Vote of the Secretary of State for Employment.Information as to the amount of such finance provided in Hertfordshire is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what amount of consultation, discussions and work sharing schemes take place between the Employment Services Agency, the Unemployment Benefits Office and the Training Services Agency; and what plans he has for future co-operation between the three agencies in Hertfordshire.

There are close working links and regular discussions between the Employment Service Agency, the Training Services Agency and the Unemployment Benefit Service, both at head offices and locally, to ensure the effective operation of the related functions of the respective services.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment to what extent there is an overlap between the functions of the Employment Services Agency, the Unemployment Benefits Office and the Training Services Agency in Hertfordshire; and if he will make a statement on the functions of all three.

The Manpower Services Commission's agencies, the Employment Service Agency and the Training Services Agency, and my Department's Unemployment Benefit Service have related but distinct functions. The Employment Service Agency's central aim is to help people choose and obtain the right jobs and to help employers recruit the right people as quickly as possible. The aim of the Training Services Agency is to promote the development of an efficient national training system which contributes effectively to meeting the manpower needs of the economy and provides individuals with training opportunities in preparation for and throughout their working lives. The main function of unemployment benefit offices is to deal with claims for unemployment benefit and to pay unemployment benefit and supplementary benefit. The Department of Employment Group is presently the subject of a joint Civil Service Department and Department of Employment Group management review, which is examining the relationships between the various parts of the group, including the Manpower Services Commission and its agencies. But I have no reason to believe that there is any wasteful overlap between the work of the three bodies named, in Hertfordshire or elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment to what extent the staff of the Employment Services Agency, the Unemployment Benefits Office and the Training Services Agency in Hertfordshire are interchangable; how many of the staff work for all three; and if he has any plans to encourage such sharing of staff.

Staff employed by the Employment Service Agency, Training Services Agency and the Benefit Service of the Department of Employment are interchangeable only in the sense that, being also part of the staff of the Department of Employment Group, they enjoy common opportunities for career development, including promotion, and may in that context be transferred from one organisation to another within the group. No employees of these three organisations work on a day-to-day basis for any organisation other than the one by which they are employed. I have no plans to encourage transfer of staff on a day-today work basis between the organisations named.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total annual cost of running each of the Employment Services Agency, the Unemployment Benefits Office and the Training Services Agency in Hertfordshire.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of people employed by each of the Employment Services Agency, the Unemployment Benefits Office and the Training Services Agency, in Hertfordshire together with the total number in each grade.

The following table analyses the staff in post, including casuals, employed in Hertfordshire on 1st April 1977 by grade within the Employment Service Agency, Unemployment Benefit Offices and the Training Services Agency.

The figures for ESA include staff employed in employment offices, jobcentres, a district manager's office and an employment rehabilitation centre.

STAFF EMPLOYED IN HERTFORDSHIRE ON 1ST APRIL 1977

Grade

Employment Service Agency

Unemployment Benefit Offices

Training Services Agency

Total

Senior Executive Officer134
Higher Executive Officer72615
Cadet11
Executive Officer32201264
Clerical Officer7610263241
Clerical Assistant10371865
Training Service Officer I11
Training Service Officer II123
Training Service Officer III55
Instructional Officer I13031
Instructional Officer II85664
Occupational Psychologist11
Social Worker11
Deputy Hostel Manager11
Welfare Recreational Officer11
Shorthand Typist11
Typist3·5238·5
Data Processor0·50·5
Switchboard Operator0·50·5
Cleaner0·56·57
Senior Storeman44
Storeman44
Storekeeper11
Assistant Storekeeper11
Timekeeper11
Assistant Timekeeper22
Driver123
Millwright22
Labourer21719
Night Gateman33
Canteen staff3131
Hostel Housekeeping staff1717
Total147164·5292603·5

Note: Part-time staff have been counted as half units.