§ Mr. Corbettasked the Secretary of State for Employment if, pursuant to his answer of 13 July, Official Report, column 347, he will publish evidence, or place it in the Library, that current employment protection legislation deters employers from creating new jobs; whether he will estimate how many potential jobs have not been created because of this; and what plans he has to seek to amend such legislation.
§ Mr. NichollsResults of two studies by the Department of Employment were published as research papers 6 and 53, and were placed in the Library. It is not possible to estimate the effect on job opportunities, since the employment legislation is one of many factors to be considered by an employer. The White Paper Building Businesses…Not Barriers" contained several proposals to amend the legislation, but these are still being considered.