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Article 2, paragraph 1, of the Convention. With reference to its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government's report and the information supplied in reply to the comments made by the Democratic Confederation of Labour and by the General Union of Moroccan Workers on the application of the Convention. The allegations concerned the absence of labour commissions and of the higher labour council provided for by Royal Decree No. 319-66 of 14 August 1967, and the too limited role played by employment agencies on the labour market.

In its reply, the Government states that the labour commissions provided for by section 2 of the above Decree have been established in several areas in which there are employment agencies. During the period 1990-91, such commissions were established in 11 provinces. It adds that the Ministry of Employment, with the aim of giving a new stimulus to the activities of these commissions and to ensure that their actions are widely followed up, addressed circulars to the prefectoral employment delegates asking them to accord greater interest to the work of the labour commissions in order to ensure that they are an effective tool which can support the activities undertaken to promote employment.

While noting this information, the Committee requests the Government to state in its next report whether the higher labour council, provided for under section 4 of the above-mentioned Royal Decree, has also been established, and to state whether labour commissions have been established in each prefectoral jurisdiction or province, in accordance with section 1 of the above Decree. Please also supply a copy of the circulars sent to prefectoral employment delegates to which the Government refers in its report.

With regard to the activities of employment agencies on the labour market, the Committee notes from the Government's report that a fairly low proportion of the job vacancies created annually are channelled through the public employment services, since employers and workers prefer to deal directly with each other, without observing the employment legislation. As a consequence, the competent authorities are currently examining, in collaboration with the ILO and the Arab Labour Organization, the possibility of restructuring the public employment services and extending their scope, in order to adapt them to developments on the labour market. The Government also states in its report that it has created employment agencies for urban areas; that, with the aim of promoting the activities of public employment offices, information and guidance centres have been established and have begun to operate in Rabat and Casablanca; and that it is planned to extend such centres to all the regions of the country.

The Committee would be grateful if the Government would supply in its next report general information on the working of the system of public employment agencies as requested in the report form. Please indicate, in particular, the number of employment agencies which have been created, the number of applications for employment received, the number of vacancies notified, and the number of persons placed in employment by such agencies.