§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the impact of proposals for the regulation of the private recruitment industry (URN: 99/774) published by the Department of Trade and Industry on those buying care privately. [96060]
§ Mr. Alan JohnsonThe consultation document published on 31 May on revised regulations to govern the conduct of the private recruitment industry contains a regulatory impact assessment covering possible cost consequences to those hiring staff through bureaux, including those buying care privately.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if his officials have contacted Mrs. Gifford of Able Community Care Norwich, concerning the costs attributed by her to the VAT charges arising from the introduction of regulations for the private recruitment industry (URN: 99/774); and on what basis those calculations were made. [96062]
§ Mr. Alan JohnsonMy officials wrote to Mrs. Gifford on 22 July and 12 August 1999. A meeting was held on 19 August and officials also spoke to her at a conference936W on 13 October. We do not accept that the costs which she calculates would in fact result from the proposed amendments to private recruitment industry regulation.