HL Deb 06 February 2002 vol 631 cc93-4WA
Baroness Noakes

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What progress has been made in the drafting of the conduct of employment agencies and employment businesses regulations; and when they intend to publish a final draft. [HL2536]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville)

We expect to issue the revised draft regulations shortly; there will then be a brief consultation exercise on certain aspects of those regulations.

Baroness Noakes

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What percentage of the United Kingdom's recruitment sector is made up of small and medium-sized enterprises; and [HL2537]

Whether they have made an assessment of the impact that the draft Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations will have on small and medium-sized enterprises within the recruitment industry in the United Kingdom; and, if so, whether they will publish their assessment. [HL2538]

Lord Sainsbury of Turville

While the private recruitment industry is made up overwhelmingly of small firms, we have no details of the percentage of establishments in the industry which would be classified as small and medium-sized enterprises.

The regulatory impact assessment (R IA), which was issued with the draft Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations, showed that the proposed changes would affect small and large firms equally. The RIA estimates one-off administrative costs for agencies and employment businesses at £3.5 million and provides an illustrative range of the recurring costs to employment businesses of lost temp-to-perm transfer fees of £4.5 million to £9 million, or 0.04–0.08 per cent of the industry turnover.