The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the acting chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Mel Groves. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
Letter from Mel Groves:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking if she will issue guidance to Jobcentre Plus that it should seek to schedule regular meetings with jobseekers in part-time work to take place on days when they are not regularly employed. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
Regular face-to-face contact with people is the most effective method of helping them find work quickly, and ensuring they remain entitled to payment of benefit by demonstrating they are actively seeking work. People claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance are therefore usually required to attend their nearest Jobcentre for regular jobsearch reviews and more in-depth interviews with a personal adviser if they do not find work quickly. Where someone is undertaking part-time work we will make every effort to make alternative arrangements to accommodate their part time working patterns. We will, however, ensure that the guidance is clarified in this respect.
(2) if she will place in the Library a copy of the results of each of the three most recent Jobcentre Plus staff surveys.
Copies of the three most recent sets of survey results for Jobcentre Plus, from the Department for Work and Pensions Surveys conducted in 2009, 2008 and 2006, have been placed in the Library. There was no staff survey in 2007 as surveys were conducted in November 2006 and January 2008.
As part of the Cabinet Office cross-Government employee engagement programme the next staff survey of Jobcentre Plus, which is part of the Department for Work and Pensions Survey, will take place in October/November 2009. Results will be available in January/February 2010. The results will be placed in the Library.