AGENCY WORKERS

That this House notes there are 1.4 million agency workers in the UK and that many new jobs are considered temporary and are often filled by agency staff; recognises that such staff are often used to cope with fluctuations in demand and form a legitimate part of the labour market but considers that they are subjected to inferior pay and conditions and blatant exploitation; further recognises that agency workers are sometimes employed to undercut permanent workforces, creating divisive conditions and resentment; and calls on the Government to take appropriate action to establish the principle of equal pay and conditions for agency workers compared with their permanent counterparts.