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as those at present exercised by the London County Council under Sections 11-14 of the L:C.C. (General Powers) Act, 1921. Additional provisions would, however, be necessary in order to comply with the requirements of the Convention-→→
(a) the requirement that an agency shall charge only fees and expenses on à
scale submitted to and approved by the Local Authority,
(b) a power to deal with the placing of workers abroad and their recruitment from outside Great Britain (the present control exercised by the L.C.C. relates to the placing abroad of women only),
y
This control in London has not been the cause of complaint, and even with these added powers it is difficult to see how any reputable agency could reasonably raise objection. Moreover, the power to be exercised by the Local Authorities would be subject to appeals by aggrieved parties to the Courts.
4. It should be explained as regards the recruitment of workers from abroad for placing in this country that, although the control of fee-charging employment agencies undertaking such recruitment would be entrusted to Local Authorities, the issue to employers of permits under Article 1 (3) (b) of the Aliens Order for employ- ment of particular aliens would still be controlled by my Department, whose practice of dealing direct with the respective employers and not with employment agencies in regard to applications for such permits will be continued.
5. The control of fee-charging employment agencies through licensing by the Local Authorities would involve no additional cost to Government Departments, and the burden falling on Local Authorities should not be significant, especially as owing to the number and distribution of such agencies and other circumstances, the London County Council and most other authorities likely to be much affected already exercise licensing powers.
ANNEX III
NOTES OF THE PROVISION TO BE INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION
1. No person to carry on an employment agency without a licence from the Licensing Authority or charge fees for expenses in excess of the scale submitted to and approved by that authority.
2. Licensing Authorities to be
(a) County Councils;
(b) County Borough Councils (in the City of London the " Common Council "); (c) Town Councils of large Burghs in Scotland.
3. Persons applying for a licence or for renewal to do so in writing and to forward with the application a statement of the scale of fees and expenses to be. charged.
4. Licensing Authority to have power-
(a) to grant licences and to approve scales of fees and expenses submitted by
applicants;
(b) to refuse to grant or renew or to revoke licences on any of the following
grounds:
(i) that an applicant or licence holder is unsuitable;
(ii) that the premises are unsuitable;
(iii) that the agency is or has been illegally or improperly conducted;
1
(iv) in the case of an application for a licence or its renewal, that the
scale of fees and expenses submitted is not approved.
5. Licensing Authority not to refuse to renew or to revoke a licence unless due notice has been given to licence holder of objection to renewal or of intention to revoke and licence holder to have opportunity of being heard.
6.
Applicants for licences to pay a fee when licence granted. 7. Licences defid for one year unless revoked.
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