HL Deb 22 July 1970 vol 311 cc969-70
LORD SORENSEN

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what action will taken to deal with the mistreatment of au pair girls and to ensure that remaining abuses do not continue.]

THE MINISTER OF STATE, HOME OFFICE LORD WINDLESHAM)

My Lords, the Government are studying the Council of Europe's Agreement on Au Pair Placement, which seeks to prevent abuses by standardising au pair arrangements in member States. The Government sympathise with this object and are considering what action should be taken, including the introduction of a standard form of agreement between the host and the au pair girl.

LORD SORENSEN

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that reply, and fully appreciate that a great deal has been done to secure equity in this situation. But may I ask whether he has received from any quarter instances of unfortunate treatment of au pair girls on the part of hosts, including of course working them for long hours, even though, on the other hand, some of the girls themselves are certainly at fault?

LORD WINDLESHAM

My Lords, very few cases of abuse have been brought to the attention of the Home Office. There has been one instance recently which has been investigated.

BARONESS GAITSKELL

My Lords, will the Minister not agree that though there are inevitably some cases of ill-treatment, most au pair girls are well paid and not overworked, and are given great facilities to study? Will he not also agree that they are generally in a very strong position to change their jobs, because there are far more jobs than girls?

LORD WINDLESHAM

My Lords, where there is a satisfactory relationship between the au pair girl from Europe and the receiving family, there are obviously mutual benefits. Where there are occasional instances of abuse, there seems some advantage in having a standard code of practice.

LORD SORENSEN

My Lords, will the noble Lord accept from me a list of cases which seem to be contrary to what the noble Baroness has declared?

LORD WINDLESHAM

Yes, my Lords. My right honourable friend is anxious to receive any instances of abuse in this connection. It is rather unusual that so few complaints—I understand that it is fewer than 12 a year—have been brought forward.

LORD SEGAL

My Lords, is the noble Lord able to state how far the supply exceeds the demand, or vice versa?

LORD WINDLESHAM

No, my Lords. The numbers are quite large. At any one time there are about 25,000 au pair girls in this country—about 15,000 to 16,000 come each year. Whether or not that fulfils the demand, I am unable to say.