To 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]
We 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 were
extended on 24 February 1997.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
| 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. | |