§ Mr. HammondTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the likely impact that the proposed European Directive on working conditions for temporary workers will have on the creation of new employment opportunities in the UK. [52303]
§ Alan JohnsonThe Department's officials are preparing a Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) which will look at the possible costs and benefits of the Directive to workers, agencies and user companies in the UK. The RIA will be placed in the Libraries of House in due course.
§ Mr. HammondTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what amendments she will be seeking to make to the proposed European Directive on working conditions for temporary workers. [52299]
§ Alan JohnsonThe European Commission published a proposal for a directive on temporary agency workers in March 2002. We are currently studying the proposal to establish whether it protects agency workers without damaging the important contribution agency workers and agencies make to the labour market and to maintaining high levels of employment.
§ Mr. HammondTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many temporary workers were, at the most recent date for which figures are available, fulfilling assignments in the public sector. [52306]
§ Alan JohnsonAccording to the Labour Force Survey, in Autumn 2001 there were 600,000 temporary employees in the public sector.
The Labour Force Survey defines temporary employees as including individuals engaged on: employment business assignments, seasonal work, fixed term contracts, casual work and other non-permanent work.
§ Mr. HammondTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research she has undertaken to assess the impact that the proposed European Directive on working conditions for temporary workers will have on the competitiveness of SMEs in the UK. [52302]
§ Alan JohnsonThe Department's officials are preparing a Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) which will look at the possible costs and benefits of the Directive to workers, agencies and user companies in the UK including the impact on small businesses. The RIA will be placed in Libraries of the Houses in due course.
§ Mr. HammondTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people were employed in temporary work in the UK in(a) February 1992 and (b) February 2002. [52304]
§ Alan Johnson(a) According to the Labour Force Survey, there were 1,150,000 temporary employees in the three months March"May 1992.
490WThe Labour Force Survey defines temporary employees as including individuals engaged on: employment business assignments, seasonal work, fixed term contracts, casual work and other non-permanent work.
(b) According to the Labour Force Survey, there were 1,650,000 temporary employees in the three months December 2001"February 2002 (the latest data available).