HC Deb 03 July 1979 vol 969 cc530-2W
Mr. William Hamilton

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many complaints he has received in the past two months from workers obtaining employment in West Germany and other countries; what has been the nature of the complaints; and what action he has taken.

Mr. Jim Lester

In the last two months, 35 complaints from workers relative to employment abroad have come to my Department's attention. 33 of these were complaints from building trade workers who had been to West Germany and concerned either their having been given no work or not having received moneys due to them or bad conditions. All are currently being investigated by inspectors authorised under the Employment Agencies Act 1973 in relation to possible breaches of the Act, and prosecution or warning action will be taken if appropriate. As necessary, my officers will collaborate with the West German authorities in regard to any suspected illegal activity on the part of operators in that country. The remaining two complaints were from dancers employed in Italy and investigations revealed no breach of the Act and that the matter was entirely a contractual one between employer and workers.

Mr. William Hamilton

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what guidance he intends to give to building trade and other workers seeking employment abroad, in view of recent complaints against the practices of certain British employment agencies active in recruiting such labour.

Mr. Jim Lester

The complaints received by my Department indicate that many of the difficulties experienced by British building trade workers abroad arise from their not having sought or been given sufficient information about the employer and the job abroad. Indeed many have gone abroad solely on the strength of a telephone call made in response to a press advertisement. We strongly advise any worker thinking of taking employment abroad to safeguard himself by obtaining and retaining full information about the employer and the employment in a written contract or written statement before he goes. He should ensure that this includes the name and address of the employer and the precise nature of the firm's business and of the employment as well as full and clear details about such matters as pay, hours of work, fares and accommodation.

I understand from the Manpower Services Commission (MSC) that its employment services division is prepared, on behalf of workers thinking of replying to a press advertisement placed by or on behalf of an employer in another EEC country, to seek information from the employment service of that country about the employer. The extent to which such information can be provided depends upon the knowledge and practice of the employment service concerned. Such inquiries may be made at any MSC job centre or employment office which can also provide, free of charge, a leaflet "Working in Europe" produced by the Commission and general information about living and working conditions in other EEC member States.

If a worker believes that the British recruiter is an employment agent or staff contractor, or that the employer concerned in West Germany or Holland is a staff contractor, he should check with the regional office of my Department to establish that it is properly licensed and therefore subject to regulation.