§ Mr. RiddickTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will make a statement on the systems of licensing employment agencies; why it is necessary to have such licences; and what plans she has to abolish them.
§ Mr. McLoughlinMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is responsible only for the licensing system in the Employment Agencies Act 1973. We believe that some arrangement of this kind is necessary to safeguard the interests of users. Experience has shown that such protection is real.
Nevertheless, we are always concerned to reduce the number of licences involved in business activities wherever possible. We shall therefore keep the operation of the 1973 Act under review.
Licensing systems for seamen's and nurses' agencies are matters for my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Transport and the Secretary of State for Health respectively.