§ 42. Mr. Kenneth Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many licences have been issued to private employment agencies since registration was transferred to his Department; and how they are distributed throughout the regions.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerThe Employment Agencies Act 1973 was amended by the Employment Protection Act 1975 to make the Secretary of State for Employment the licensing authority, and was brought into force on 1st July 1976. Between 109W that date and 31st March 1978—the latest date for which figures are available—my Department issued 5,942 new licences and 2,103 renewal licences. These were distributed throughout the regions as follows:
New licences Renewal licences Scotland 223 47 Northern 169 60 North-West 431 142 Yorkshire and Humberside 258 89 Midlands 560 180 Wales 102 32 South-West 270 97 South-East 3,929 1,456