§ Mr. BayleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many applications for new licences were received from employment agencies in April 1993; and in what proportion of these cases a licence was issued to the applicant within eight weeks.
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§ Mr. Michael ForsythIn April 1993, 241 applications for new licences were received, 83.8 per cent. of which resulted in a licence being offered to the applicant within eight weeks.
§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many employment agencies have(a) been licensed, (b) had applications for licensing as an employment agency refused and (c) had their licences revoked in each year since 1973.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe Employment Agencies Act 1973, which requires all employment agencies and employment business to be licensed, came into force in mid-1976. The available records commence from 1977, the first full year of the Act's operation, and are provided in the table:
Year Number of current licences Applications refused Licences revoked 1977 5,057 10 — 1978 5,896 4 1 1979 6,550 2 — 1980 6,990 3 — 1981 6,645 5 2 1982 6,624 7 — 1983 6,950 3 — 1984 7,668 — — 1985 8,499 1 — 1986 9,984 3 1 1987 11,379 3 2 1988 13,541 — — 1989 16,023 5 — 1990 17,227 3 — 1991 15,887 5 1 1992 14,701 3 2 1993 14,482 1 — Totals 58 9