§ Mr. David Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is aware that the new standard employment agency licence fee of £72 is uneconomic for many of the smaller specialist employment agencies, particularly those concerned with charitable purposes; and whether he will undertake to introduce within 12 months an appropriate reduced charge for small turnover agencies.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerWe have considered proposals that licence fees under the Employment Agencies Act should be scaled according to turnover but have not so far found this to be a practicable proposition. However, we shall look at
472WInstitute for the Blind and with the Royal Blind School, Edinburgh. The training occupations include audio-typing, shorthand typing, telephone switchboard operating, computer programming and as physiotherapists. In addition training is provided in London, Shrewsbury and Edinburgh in piano-tuning and in a light engineering course—machine operating and engineering inspection—is available at Letchworth—Herts—Skillcentre. It is estimated that 250 blind people were trained in 1977 under these special facilities.