§ Mr. Skinnerasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make an inquiry into the living and working conditions of workers who have been recruited by British construction companies to jobs in the Near East and Africa; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Jim LesterNo. I have no plans to investigate the living and working conditions of those workers. Where it is involved in recruitment, the public employment service makes inquiries into living and working conditions and follows up complaints made by workers with recruiting employers. The service is aware of the recent allegations made in the press concerning work in Libya, Algeria, Nigeria and Iraq.
British employment legislation does not as a rule extend to work outside Great Britain; employees have recourse to the courts for remedy, however, where there is alleged failure to meet contractual obligations.