HC Deb 26 January 1994 vol 236 cc287-8W
Mr. Alex Carlile

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what consideration he is giving to considering changing the rules governing the protection of temporary employees; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

No. The employment protection rights already extend to temporary employees on the same basis as for permanent employees.

Mr. Alex Carlile

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many employees are classified as temporary in the United Kingdom; what percentage of the working population this represents; and if he will make a statement.

Miss Widdecombe

The latest estimates from the labour force survey for summer—June to August—1993 are that 1,473,000—7 per cent.—employees in the United Kingdom are employed on a temporary basis; these estimates include spring 1993 data for Northern Ireland. Except for a seasonal increase in the summer of each year, temporary employment in the United Kingdom has remained constant over the past decade at between 5 to 6 per cent.