§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many private employment agencies he has investigated since 1979 which accept fees from job applicants for counselling or other services; and what: action he has taken in each case.
§ Mr. LeeAll private employment agencies are routinely investigated for breaches of any of the provisions of the Employment Agencies Act 1973 and regulations, including the provision prohibiting the offer of a job-finding service conditional upon the use of other services, such as counselling, for which job applicants may legally be charged a fee. There have been about 25,000 such inspections since 1979. If any infringement of the legislation is found, action is taken to ensure that it is corrected. If the infringement persists, prosecution would be considered.