ATSCO takes 'damaging' recruitment plans to Parliament

The Association for Technology staffing companies (ATSCO) has said it will not rest until the UK government rethinks its proposals to regulate the private recruitment industry.
Anne Swain, CEO of ATSCO is due to meet next week with conservative MP John Redwood - who has already pledged his support for ATSCo's campaign - in a bid to have the industry's concerns addressed by the UK government in Parliament.
In a letter sent to the Department of Trade and Industry last week, Swain argued that the government's proposals to introduce a four week quarantine period for contractors taking on permanent contracts - rather than allow recruitment companies to agree longer periods - would seriously damage the IT industry.
Swain said: "The charges and contractual arrangements currently available to agencies protect the interests of all parties: end-users, contractors and agencies. The current proposals will fundamentally alter this system in a way that will undermine the ability of agencies to conduct their business."
She added that the government's proposals for regulation of temp to temp contracts would see many IT contractors being swallowed up by larger contractor organisations.