The end of the 'gold plating' of European Commission Directives will benefit contractors, according to the Association of Recruitment Consultancies (Arc).

If the decision is carried through, directives from Brussels will be adopted into UK law without amendments that could have a negative effect on contractors, such as those seen in relation to the Agency Workers Regulations.

Adrian Marlowe, chairman of the Arc, said: "This is a very welcome move by the government. No one is asking for favours, all that is needed is for the government to help British business compete fairly. That is the route to creating greater employment and prosperity for all.

This comes after research by the Centre for Economics and Business Research found that the IT sector is to lead the economic recovery with an annual growth of 5.1 per cent to 2015, which could see 93,000 jobs created in the sector.