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The Committee notes the information sent in reply to its previous comments. In particular, it notes with interest the information on the number and distribution of enterprises and the workers employed in them, the statistics of infringements recorded, the observations addressed to those found to be in breach of the legislation covered by the inspectorate and the inspectors’ reports submitted to the courts. The Committee notes that it has not been possible to supply the statistical information it requested concerning the results of child labour inspection because no suitable computer system is available, and that to create such a system assistance from the International Labour Office would be appropriate.

Studies conducted in the course of the research project on child labour in Morocco set up by the ILO in cooperation with UNICEF and the World Bank, have produced some figures on child labour broken down by extent, geographical and sectoral distribution and gender. The studies also show that the difficulties of supervising child labour arise largely because the labour inspectorate is understaffed and inspectors lack authority.

The Labour Code recently adopted by the Chamber of Councillors and the Chamber of Representatives should, according to the Government, come into force in the near future. The Committee hopes that a copy of the Code will soon be available so that, at its next session and in the light of the new provisions and the developments in the labour inspection system, it will be in a position to assess the extent to which this Convention is applied in law and in practice.

The Committee is addressing a request directly to the Government concerning another matter.