§ Mr. Wigginasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many private agencies he estimates exist in the Greater London area that cater principally for the placing of secretaries and personal assistants; and what demands he has had to improve such a service before deciding that Professional and Executive Recruitment should enter this field.
§ Mr. Harold Walker:I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that there is no reliable up-to-date information on the number of agencies operating in the secretarial field. The public employment service has always included secretarial staff and appointments in its scope, and the setting up within Professional and Executive Recruitment of a specialist branch for executive secretaries is part of the continuing development and improvement of the range of services offered by the Employment Service Agency.