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Dept for Work and Pensions;Jobcentre Plus

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what percentage of Jobcentres proposed for closure have been kept open following consultation. - Inc text of letter from David Anderson of Jobcentre Plus.

Asked by

Paul Robert Holmes (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Jobcentre Plus

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

3 November 2004

For answer on

17 November 2004

Answered on

17 November 2004

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of Jobcentres proposed for closure have been kept open following consultation. [196977] Jane Kennedy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, David Anderson. He will write to the hon. Member. Letter from David Anderson to Mr. Paul Holmes, dated 17 November 2004: The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning what percentage of Jobcentres proposed for closure have been kept open following consultation. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus. Unfortunately, it is not possible to provide the information you have requested. It may be helpful if I explain that the process of sharing early plans with local stakeholders means our service delivery arrangements may change several times until we have a robust service delivery plan which meets the needs of the local community. Even after this plan has been approved and shared with stakeholders it is subject to change as the district progresses through a period of detailed design. District managers will keep local stakeholders informed of changes where they occur. Consultation is an integral part of the planning process for rollout, and we consult very widely and listen carefully to all comments and views we receive. Of course, we will not be able to satisfy the demands of each and every stakeholder, but my district managers are happy to meet with local people to discuss how decisions have been arrived at. I understand that you have visited the Jobcentre Plus office in Chesterfield, but if you would find a further visit to see the new Jobcentre Plus service at first hand useful I would be happy to set this up for you. The new technology and process we are introducing enables customers to conduct more of their business with us by telephone and Internet. When they need to visit one of our offices it will usually be by appointment, with personal advisers tailoring the service to meet their needs. We are also able to deliver some of our services from other locations, perhaps using partners' premises for advice and information sessions or locating a touch-screen Jobpoint in community premises, as part of an overall plan for delivering services in the area. We are pleased to be able to enhance the service we offer in this way where it is appropriate. Our aim is to introduce a radically improved service for all of our customers to give them the best opportunity of finding work and to pay the benefits they are entitled to correctly and promptly.

Date

17 November 2004

Reference

426 c1654-5W;426 c1657-8W; 196977

House

House of Commons

Dept for Work and Pensions;Jobcentre Plus

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his plans are for each of the Jobcentre Plus offices in the Argyll and Bute constituency. - Inc text of letter from David Anderson of Jobcentre Plus.

Asked by

Alan Reid (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Jobcentre Plus

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

11 November 2004

For answer on

16 November 2004

Answered on

16 November 2004

Mr. Alan Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his plans are for each of the Jobcentre Plus offices in the Argyll and Bute constituency. [198518] Jane Kennedy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, David Anderson. He will write to the hon. Member. Letter from David Anderson to Mr. Alan Reid, dated 16 November 2004: The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning the plans for each of the Jobcentre Plus offices in the Argyll and Bute constituency. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus. All four offices in your constituency have already been rolled out to offer the new Jobcentre Plus services. It is planned that these offices will remain open and continue to deliver an integrated customer facing service, providing a single access point to job vacancies and benefits for all people of working age. It may be helpful if I explain that Jobcentre Plus has reviewed the way in which all our benefit processing is delivered and we have been exploring ways of improving efficiency for some time. We currently process benefits in all the offices within your constituency. The processing teams in each of these offices operate with 8 staff or less and we have concluded that we should consolidate the benefit processing work into a larger site. The move to a centralised operation will concentrate expertise and experience, ensure consistency of decision-making and bring continuity of service, thereby improving customer service. It will also deliver the necessary economies of scale. Our plans for the roll out of the Benefit Processing Centres, including Clydebank Benefit Processing Centre are at an early stage and you will be kept informed of progress as these develop. I hope this is helpful.

Date

16 November 2004

Reference

426 c1320-1W;426 c1324-5W; 198518

House

House of Commons

Dept for Work and Pensions;Jobcentre Plus

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans there are to increase the number of services available to people from Jobcentre Plus offices. - Inc text of letter from David Anderson of Jobcentre Plus.

Asked by

David Leslie Taylor (Labour; Co-operative Party)

Answering body

Jobcentre Plus

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

26 October 2004

For answer on

15 November 2004

Answered on

15 November 2004

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans there are to increase the number of services available to people from Jobcentre Plus offices. [194500] Jane Kennedy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, David Anderson. He will write to my hon. Friend. Letter from David Anderson to David Taylor, dated 15 November 2004: The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning the number of services available to people from Jobcentre Plus offices. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus. Jobcentre Plus is continuously modernising and improving the services it provides to its customers. In the course of a four year programme, social security offices and Jobcentres are being replaced by Jobcentre Plus offices in which customers can make enquiries about their benefits and job opportunities in one place. The programme has currently rolled out a total of 537 sites, which is over half the eventual total. In terms of office design and customer service, our emphasis has been on reducing waiting times and eliminating referrals between offices. New measures include increased telephone contact facilities, a new appointments system and nominated Personal Advisers offering advice and support on job readiness and benefit matters. As part of our modernisation programme, we are reinvesting in front line, customer facing services. We are also providing improved customer access through telephone contact centres and the Internet. The staff at telephone contact centres are able to take applications for benefit over the telephone and deal with customer enquiries. I hope this is helpful.

Date

15 November 2004

Reference

426 c1199-200W;426 c1203-4W; 194500

House

House of Commons

Dept for Work and Pensions

Answered by

Jane Kennedy (Labour)

Answering body

Department for Work and Pensions

Type

Oral answers to questions

Date

8 November 2004

Reference

426 c565-6

House

House of Commons

Dept for Work and Pensions

Answered by

Jane Kennedy (Labour)

Answering body

Department for Work and Pensions

Type

Oral answers to questions

Date

8 November 2004

Reference

426 c565-6

House

House of Commons

Dept for Work and Pensions

1st supplementary on same.

Asked by

Hugh Robertson (Conservative)

Answering body

Department for Work and Pensions

Oral questions - 1st Supplementary

Status

Answered

Date

8 November 2004

Reference

426 c565-6

House

House of Commons

Dept for Work and Pensions

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on the future of Faversham Job Centre.

Asked by

Hugh Robertson (Conservative)

Answering body

Department for Work and Pensions

Oral questions - Lead

Status

Answered

Date

8 November 2004

Reference

426 c565-6; 196331

House

House of Commons

Dept for Work and Pensions;Jobcentre Plus

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many clients attended each Jobcentre not due for closure in North Wales in each of the last 10 years. - Inc table and figures and text of letter from David Anderson of Jobcentre Plus.

Asked by

Chris Ruane (Labour)

Answering body

Jobcentre Plus

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

1 November 2004

For answer on

4 November 2004

Answered on

4 November 2004

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many clients attended each Jobcentre not due for closure in North Wales in each of the last 10 years. [196207] Jane Kennedy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, David Anderson. He will write to the hon. Member. Letter from David Anderson to Mr. Chris Ruane, dated 4 November 2004: The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning how many clients attended each Jobcentre not due for closure in North Wales in each of the last ten years. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus. I am unable to state the exact number of callers to each of the Jobcentres staying open covering the last ten years. Information showing the monthly average number of clients registering for Jobseeker's Allowance in each of the last ten years ending in August is shown in the table attached. Separate records are not available for some of the very small sites, and their figures are included in their parent office within the same chain of management. Each of these customers is expected to attend the Jobcentre every fortnight for an interview about their job search activity and they represent most of the traffic into the offices. Monthly average number of clients registering for jobseeker's allowance in each of the last 10 years ending in August _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 1 September to 31 August 1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 Bangor 1,971 1,910 1,968 1,558 1,427 Caemarfon 1,654 1,563 1,617 1,357 1,161 Colwyn Bay 1,522 1.441 1,341 865 884 Flint 449 360 317 235 267 Holyhead and Amlwch 2,081 1,813 1,814 1,439 1,285 Llandudno 1,843 1,845 1.888 1,261 1,154 Llangefni 929 824 874 708 664 Mold 1,685 1,467 1,326 879 750 Porthma dog and Dolgellau 1,186 1,148 965 793 655 Pwlheli Rhyl 3,374 3,256 3,355 1,652 1.339 Shotton 1,248 1,053 1,113 779 787 Wrexham 5,163 4,679 4,435 3,014 2,655 1 September to 31 August 1999-2000 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 Bangor 1,211 1,145 1,053 887 787 Caemarf on 1,019 869 836 732 589 Colwyn Bay 828 688 646 783 710 Flint 272 259 227 234 229 Holyhead and Amlwch 1,170 1,024 1,071 889 774 Llandudno 1,019 879 745 419 348 Llangefni 601 580 544 490 502 Mold 701 638 493 480 447 Porthma dog and Dolgellau 559 485 401 331 237 Pwlheli Rhyl 1,198 1,094 994 831 741 Shotton 766 689 677 609 619 Wrexham 2,329 2,120 1,971 1,986 1,571 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Work is currently in progress to develop options for Flexible Service Delivery in the locations where offices will close. This work will, of course, be undertaken in partnership with MPs, Assembly Members and other relevant stakeholders to tailor these options to meet the needs of the local community. I hope this is helpful.

Date

4 November 2004

Reference

196207; 426 c422-4W

House

House of Commons

Westminster Hall adjournment debate on the Department for Work and Pensions services in North Staffordshire

Westminster Hall adjournment debate on the Department for Work and Pensions services in North Staffordshire.

Lead member

Joan Walley

Answering member

Chris Pond

Department

Department for Work and Pensions

Type

Adjournment debates

Date

3 November 2004

Reference

426 c91-111WH

House

House of Commons

Dept for Work and Pensions;Jobcentre Plus

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what provision is made at Job Centres for people who have (a) poor literacy standards and (b) no information technology skills with respect to helping them find jobs; and if he will make a statement. - Inc text of letter...

Asked by

Laurence Robertson (Conservative)

Answering body

Jobcentre Plus

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

29 October 2004

For answer on

2 November 2004

Answered on

2 November 2004

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what provision is made at Job Centres for people who have (a) poor literacy standards and (b) no information technology skills with respect to helping them find jobs; and if he will make a statement. [195503] Jane Kennedy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, David Anderson. He will write to the hon. Member. Letter from David Anderson to Mr. Laurence Robertson, dated 2 November 2004: The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning the provision made at job centres for people who have poor literacy standards and no information technology skills with respect to helping them find jobs. In April 2001 Jobcentre Plus introduced its strategy for identifying customers with literacy, numeracy and language needs and a suite of provision to help improve those skills. This involved Jobcentre Plus screening all jobseekers for literacy, numeracy and language needs at or before their six-month interview. Those identified with a potential need are offered referral to an independent contractor to assess their current skill levels and identify the most appropriate provision to help meet their needs. For those assessed as requiring a small amount of assistance to improve their skills Jobcentre Plus offers a Short Intensive Basic Skills course. This course lasts for up to eight weeks, incorporates job search activities and aims to help participants achieve the National test at level 1. For customers assessed as requiring more in-depth help to improve their skills, Basic Employability Training for customers aged 25 and over, and Full Time Education and Training for 18 to 24 year olds offer up to 26 weeks learning in a work context tailored to individual need. These programmes can be extended for up to 52 weeks for participants requiring more help and both aim to improve skills by at least one level and offer work placements and job search activities. For those customers with an identified need for training in Information Technology, and who are eligible for Work Based Learning for Adults, New Deal for Young People (NDYP) or New Deal for Adults aged 25 and over (ND25 plus), appropriate training can be provided through these programmes to enable participants to be able to compete more effectively in the labour market. The training that is offered will differ according to the needs of each customer and is dependent on what is available in their local area.

Date

2 November 2004

Reference

195503; 426 c247-8W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Work and Pensions;Child Support Agency

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what funding has been set aside to retrain staff from job centres and benefits agency offices who lose their jobs. - Including text of letter from David Anderson of Jobcentre Plus.

Asked by

Chris Ruane (Labour)

Answering body

Child Support Agency

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

1 November 2004

Reference

426 c115-6W; 190677

House

House of Commons

Dept for Work and Pensions;Jobcentre Plus

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which job centres are to be closed in North Wales; which job centres will remain open; and what the timescale is for those remaining open to become Job Centre Plus. - Including list and text of letter from David Anderson...

Asked by

Chris Ruane (Labour)

Answering body

Jobcentre Plus

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

11 October 2004

For answer on

1 November 2004

Answered on

1 November 2004

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which job centres are to be closed in north Wales; which job centres will remain open; and what the timescale is for those remaining open to become Jobcentre Plus. [190675] Jane Kennedy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, David Anderson. He will write to the hon. Member. Letter from David Anderson to Chris Ruane, dated 1 November 2004: The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions concerning the closure of Jobcentres in North Wales. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus. The Jobcentre Plus District of Wrexham and North Wales Coast covers the four counties of Wrexham, Flintshire, Denbighshire and Conwy. Under the current Service Delivery Plan, the new Jobcentre Plus integrated service should be delivered from the following locations: Colwyn Bay Rhyl Flint Wrexham (Ty Maelor, Grosvenor Road) Llandudno Mold Connah's Quay All offices scheduled under the current plan to deliver this service will be fully converted by the end of March 2006. The work will be phased to minimise the disruption to our customers whilst the conversion work is undertaken. The following Jobcentre sites will remain open until the sites delivering the new service have been fully enhanced and Flexible Service Delivery is in operation across the four counties: Conwy Prestatyn Holywell Cefn Mawr Llanrwst Denbigh Llangollen. These seven offices will then close. The Jobcentre Plus District of North West Wales and Powys covers the three counties of Ynys Mon, Gwynedd and Powys. This District already delivers the new integrated Jobcentre Plus service from offices in the following locations: Amlwch Bangor Brecon Caernarfon Dolgellau Holyhead Llandrindod Wells Llangefni Machynlleth Newtown Porthmadog Pwllheli Welshpool Ystradgynlais In addition Flexible Service Delivery operates in the following locations: Barmouth Beamaris Blaenau Ffestiniog Builth Wells Knighton Penygroes Tywyn I hope this is helpful.

Date

1 November 2004

Reference

426 c121-2W; 190675

House

House of Commons

Dept for Work and Pensions;Jobcentre Plus

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many clients attended each Jobcentre due for closure in North Wales in each of the last 10 years; and what replacement service will be put in place after closure of these offices. - Inc tables and text of letter...

Asked by

Chris Ruane (Labour)

Answering body

Jobcentre Plus

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

11 October 2004

For answer on

28 October 2004

Answered on

28 October 2004

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many clients attended each Jobcentre due for closure in North Wales in each of the last 10 years; and what replacement service will be put in place after closure of these offices. [190880] Jane Kennedy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, David Anderson. He will write to the hon. Member. Letter from David Anderson to Mr. Chris Ruane, dated 28 October 2004: The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions concerning how many clients attended each Jobcentre due for closure in North Wales in each of the last ten years; and what replacement service will be put in place after closure of these offices. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus. I am unable to state the exact number of callers to each of the Jobcentres expected to close covering the last ten years. Information showing the average number of clients registering for Jobseeker's Allowance in each of the last ten years ending in August is shown in the table below. Average number of clients registering for jobseeker's allowance in each of the last 10 years ending in August _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 1994-951 1995-96 1996-971 1997-981 1998-991 Cefn Mawr -- -- -- -- -- Conwy -- -- -- -- -- Denbigh -- -- -- 323 285 Holywell 666 621 574 374 325 Llangollen -- -- -- -- -- Llanrwst -- -- -- -- -- Prestatyn -- -- -- 299 323 Blaenau Ffestiniog 346 334 334 274 262 Barmouth 380 378 389 286 247 Beaumaris -- -- -- -- -- 1999-20001 2000-011 2001-021 2002-031 2003-041 Cefn Mawr -- -- -- 140 120 Conwy -- -- -- 120 112 Denbigh 271 239 191 192 178 Holywell 284 250 199 186 185 Llangollen -- -- -- -- 146 Llanrwst -- -- -- 98 70 Prestatyn 358 258 242 193 179 Blaenau Ffestiniog 236 241 189 156 146 Barmouth 199 169 180 137 148 Beaumaris -- -- -- -- 30 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 1 1 September to 31 August. Separate records are not available for some of the very small sites as their figures are included in their parent office. Each of these customers is expected to attend the Jobcentre every fortnight for an interview about their job search activity and they represent most of the traffic into the offices. Work is currently in progress to develop options for Flexible Service Delivery in the locations where offices will close. This work will be undertaken in partnership with MPs, Assembly Members and other relevant stakeholders to tailor these options to meet the needs of the local community. I hope this is helpful.

Date

28 October 2004

Reference

425 c1377-8W; 190880

House

House of Commons

Scotland Office

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he has met the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to discuss closures of Jobcentres in Lanarkshire. - Inc ref to 26 October 2004, 425 c1275-7.

Asked by

Jim Hood (Labour)

Answering body

Scotland Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

26 October 2004

Reference

425 c1104W; 192854

House

House of Commons

Scotland Office

Answered by

Lord Darling of Roulanish (Labour)

Answering body

Scotland Office

Type

Oral answers to questions

Date

26 October 2004

Reference

425 c1275-6

House

House of Commons

Scotland Office

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what plans he has to visit Jobcentres in Lanarkshire in the near future.

Asked by

Frank Roy (Labour)

Answering body

Scotland Office

Oral questions - Lead

Status

Answered

Date

26 October 2004

Reference

425 c1275-6; 192846

House

House of Commons

Dept for Work and Pensions

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will list the (a) organisations and (b) agencies with whom his Department consulted before deciding upon the locations for (i) office closures and (ii) job reductions.

Asked by

Chris Ruane (Labour)

Answering body

Department for Work and Pensions

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

11 October 2004

For answer on

26 October 2004

Answered on

26 October 2004

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the (a) organisations and (b) agencies with whom his Department consulted before deciding upon the locations for (i) office closures and (ii) job reductions. [190676] Jane Kennedy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, David Anderson. He will write to the hon. Member. Letter from David Anderson to Mr. Chris Ruane dated 26 October 2004: The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning the organisations and agencies with whom his Department consulted before deciding upon the locations for office closures and job reductions. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus. Jobcentre Plus has consulted at a national level with a number of key stakeholders concerning service delivery planning in Jobcentre Plus. These stakeholders included: Confederation of British Industry MIND (National Association for Mental Health) Royal National Institute for the Blind Child Poverty Action Group National Council for One Parent Families National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux Royal National Institute for the Deaf Third Age Employment Network Homeless Network Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion Trades Union Congress Local Government Association Carers UK The other parts of the Department for Work and Pensions have been kept informed of the plans for change in Jobcentre Plus, and there has been liaison with the Countryside Agency and DEFRA on the rural impact of our plans. At a local level District Managers consult with local stakeholders on early plans for changes to service delivery arrangements. Local managers are required to consult widely as an integral part of the planning process, and the guidance to managers includes a suggested list of stakeholders: Local MPs/MEPs/MSPs/Members of the National Assembly of Wales Local Authorities--both councillors and officials of various departments (for example, Benefits, Social Services) Programme Providers/service delivery partners Employers A sample of key employment providers and their representative bodies, such as the local chambers of commerce Citizens Advice Bureaux Welfare rights organisations and organisations representing specific client groups (RNIB, RNID, DIAL, Gingerbread, representatives of local ethnic minority groups and other local organisations ) Other Government Agencies (the Probation Service, Connexions, Careers Wales/Scotland, Inland Revenue, and especially the Countryside Agency) Health Authorities/primary care trusts/local GPs Learning and Skills Councils Local Colleges Government Regional Offices Housing Associations Police Landlords/Joint Tenants Groups of customers directly if wished This list is not exhaustive and local managers should identify any other local stakeholders. The views and concerns received are addressed before approval is granted to progress to more detailed planning. I hope this is helpful.

Date

26 October 2004

Reference

425 c1182-4W;425 c1182-3W; 190676

House

House of Commons

Dept for Work and Pensions

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he last met the First Minister of the National Assembly of Wales to discuss the possible effects on social exclusion of the closure of benefit processing offices in Wales.

Asked by

Elfyn Llwyd (Plaid Cymru)

Answering body

Department for Work and Pensions

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

25 October 2004

Reference

425 c1031W; 192209

House

House of Commons

Dept for Work and Pensions

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will re-examine the proposals to remove (a) benefit processing and (b) drop-in services from Skelmersdale.

Asked by

Colin Pickthall (Labour)

Answering body

Department for Work and Pensions

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

21 October 2004

Reference

425 c905-6W; 192799

House

House of Commons

Dept for Work and Pensions

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he intends to consult the PCS union in Wales on the proposed closure of benefit processing centres in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Asked by

Elfyn Llwyd (Plaid Cymru)

Answering body

Department for Work and Pensions

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

20 October 2004

Reference

425 c805W; 192208

House

House of Commons

Librarians' tools

Type

House

Session

Year

Department

Member

Primary member

Answering member

Legislative stage

Legislation

Subject

Publisher