To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many employment agencies have been removed from the list of agencies adhering to the code of practice for the international recruitment of healthcare professionals since the code was first published. (107217)

Since the code of practice for the international recruitment of healthcare professionals was first published 12 recruitment agencies have been removed from the list of agencies adhering to the code of practice.

After the introduction of the strengthened code of practice in December 2004, agencies were given a year to submit applications to be included on a new code of practice list of agencies adhering to the strengthened code. 149 agencies on the existing list failed to submit an application and were not included in the new list which was established in December 2005.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times the code of practice for the international recruitment of healthcare professionals has been breached; how many times (a) alleged breaches have been investigated and (b) the code has been enforced (i) since the code was first published and (ii) since it was revised in 2004; and on how many occasions penalties were enforced by the application of penalties in each case. (107218)

All allegations of breaches of the code of practice for the international recruitment of healthcare professionals are investigated.

Information received from NHS Employers indicates that 10 commercial recruitment agencies have been removed from the list of agencies adhering to the code of practice for breaches of the code. Of these two were removed before the strengthened guidance was published in December 2004.

In addition 12 national health service trusts have also been identified as being involved in breaches of the code of practice. NHS Employers writes to all trusts found in breach of the code of practice. These letters are copied to the strategic health authority responsible for the performance management of the trust.