A European committee has rebelled against proposals in the draft Agency Workers Directive to give equal pay for temps after six weeks working in a job.

The legal affairs committee, which is made up of European MPs from different EU countries, has recommended that the proposals be scrapped. Philip Bushill-Matthews [pictured], a Conservative MEP who sits on the committee, said many European politicians had failed to understand the UK labour market.

He said: “What they don’t realise is that there are 17,000 recruitment agencies in the UK that are trying to get the best deal for their temps because that means temps will stay with them.”

Recruitment and Employment Confederation chief executive Tim Nicholson attended the first meeting of the employment and social affairs committee, which can make changes to the draft directive.

He said there had been no discussion of banning temp-to perm fees, which client companies pay to employment agencies if they want to hire temps full-time.

The fees may be outlawed because of a clause opposing any barrier to a temporary worker finding permanent employment.