The latest report on the jobs market has found that permanent staff placements have hit a 12-month high.

The survery, from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation and Andersen, found that the permanent placements index in April rose to 52.1 from 50.8 in March.

This is the sixth rise in succession and more than 12 points above its trough in October. The report also found that average salaries awarded to people placed in permanent jobs rose at the fastest rate for eight months.

Forum Response: Recruitment and Employment Confederation

Tim Nicholson, chief executive of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, told ePolitix.com: "Demand growth for both temporary and permanent staff in nearly every sector fuels confidence that the economic upturn is real and sustainable, and just a blip.

"UK plc's hunger for flexible staff solutions in conditions like these could be threatened , however, by the proposed EU Agency Workers Directive, which threatens to introduce rigidity, over regulation and extra cost to the UK labour market."