Evidence for plans to ban overseas-only recruitment “not fit for purpose”
12 August 2014
The evidence behind a proposal to ban recruiters from advertising exclusively overseas has been labelled “not fit for purpose” and given a red label by a government watchdog.
Tues, 12 Aug 2014
The evidence behind a proposal to ban recruiters from advertising exclusively overseas has been labelled “not fit for purpose” and given a red label by a government watchdog.
The Regulatory Policy Committee published its opinion yesterday on the government’s evidence base for an amendment to the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003 (as amended).
“The RPC opinion is that the government’s impact assessment supporting its consultation is not fit for purpose.”
The proposed amendment would require all employment agencies and businesses in England, Scotland and Wales to ensure that all jobs based in Great Britain are advertised in Great Britain and that they are advertised in English before or at the same time as they are advertised in another European Economic Area state.
The committee called on the government to strengthen its impact assessment, “so there is a robust evidence base to support the consultation”.
It called for: a significantly clearer rationale for intervention; assessment of a wider range of policy options for prohibiting overseas exclusive recruitment, including alternatives to legislation; and provision of a fuller description of the impacts of the regulation on employment agencies.
It also called for verification of the number of employment agencies likely to be affected “so that the costs to these businesses can be monetised”.
The impact assessment says overseas-exclusive recruitment is already potentially a breach of the Equality Act 2010 and that there is little evidence employment agencies engage in such advertising.
This is the first red rating published by the committee since January and only the 13th since 2010. Last year, the committee published more than 400 opinions on various legislation changes.
The committee said the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills published the impact assessment “before the RPC had a chance to consider it, contrary to the better regulation framework put in place by this government”.
The proposed amendment is open for consultation on a government website (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/recruitment-sector-prohibiting-the-advertising-of-jobs-exclusively-in-other-eea-countries), by email or post until 2 September.
The evidence behind a proposal to ban recruiters from advertising exclusively overseas has been labelled “not fit for purpose” and given a red label by a government watchdog.
The Regulatory Policy Committee published its opinion yesterday on the government’s evidence base for an amendment to the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003 (as amended).
“The RPC opinion is that the government’s impact assessment supporting its consultation is not fit for purpose.”
The proposed amendment would require all employment agencies and businesses in England, Scotland and Wales to ensure that all jobs based in Great Britain are advertised in Great Britain and that they are advertised in English before or at the same time as they are advertised in another European Economic Area state.
The committee called on the government to strengthen its impact assessment, “so there is a robust evidence base to support the consultation”.
It called for: a significantly clearer rationale for intervention; assessment of a wider range of policy options for prohibiting overseas exclusive recruitment, including alternatives to legislation; and provision of a fuller description of the impacts of the regulation on employment agencies.
It also called for verification of the number of employment agencies likely to be affected “so that the costs to these businesses can be monetised”.
The impact assessment says overseas-exclusive recruitment is already potentially a breach of the Equality Act 2010 and that there is little evidence employment agencies engage in such advertising.
This is the first red rating published by the committee since January and only the 13th since 2010. Last year, the committee published more than 400 opinions on various legislation changes.
The committee said the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills published the impact assessment “before the RPC had a chance to consider it, contrary to the better regulation framework put in place by this government”.
The proposed amendment is open for consultation on a government website (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/recruitment-sector-prohibiting-the-advertising-of-jobs-exclusively-in-other-eea-countries), by email or post until 2 September.
