To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many people used each Jobcentre Plus branch in the London borough of Sutton in each of the last five years; (132638)

The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.

Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 14 May 2007:

The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has asked me to reply to your questions about the number of people who used each of our offices in the London Borough of Sutton in each of the last five years, and the number of staff employed at those offices in the same period. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.

In 2002 there were two offices in Sutton—Sutton Jobcentre and Sutton Social Security Office. The Sutton Social Security Office dealt with personal callers and Incapacity Benefit processing for the London Boroughs of Sutton, Merton, Kingston and Richmond and the county of Surrey. With the reorganisation of benefit delivery work the Incapacity Benefit work was moved in stages to other centres prior to the closure of the Social Security Office in March 2006. Sutton Jobcentre Plus opened on 9 January 2007.

Information on the number of people using the offices is not available as people do not have to receive benefits to use the job search facilities. The available information on the number of staff who were working at both Sutton Jobcentre and Sutton Social Security Office, including those who are now working at the Jobcentre Plus Office is in the table. Sutton Jobcentre now provides the full range of Jobcentre Plus services.