PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
EMPLOYMENT SERVICE IN LONDON (25 June 1995)

That this House is aware that in the financial year 1994-95 the Employment Service in London and the South East was overtaken by a mid-year budgetary crisis which saw, amongst other things, a ban on overtime and promotions, volunteers taking a reduction in hours or extended periods of unpaid leave over Christmas and from January to March, and the widespread sacking of casual staff, and that this has had a markedly adverse effect on the service offered to claimants which has resulted in offices across London facing the problems created by 5-10 per cent. below authorised staffing levels, lunchtime closures, reductions in client advisor services, including unfilled posts for disablement advisors, and a consequent rise in levels of sick leave, which are combining to produce an increase in waiting times for claimants; and calls upon the Department of Employment to take steps to remedy this position and ensure that nothing similar occurs in the current financial year.

Sponsored by:
Jim Dowd (Labour)