§ 12. Mr. George Rodgersasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether work permits issued have been reduced in the light of the current high levels of unemployment.
§ Mr. John GrantThe number of first permits and permissions issued in 1975 was 30,078, which was about 9 per cent. lower than in 1974. Only the first quarter's figures are presently available for 1976. It would be wrong to draw longer-term conclusions from one quarter's figures, but it is encouraging that they show a drop of about 23 per cent. over the same period in 1975.
§ Mr. RodgersI thank my hon. Friend for that information. Will he elaborate a little by providing information on the number of people who have come over from Common Market countries and secured residence and employment in this country?
§ Mr. GrantEEC nationals have the right to enter and to look for and take work without a work permit. If they want to stay for more than six months to work, they need a residence permit from my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary. The figures for the issue of residents permits are as follows: 6,402 1510 for 1973; 5,769 for 1974 and 4,680 for 1975. My hon. Friend can see that the annual figures have declined over that period. That is consistent with the falling trend in the number of work permits issued for people from EEC countries in the years immediately preceding our entry into the Community.
§ Mr. Kenneth LewisWill the Minister give us the other side? How many people are leaving this country to get jobs abroad? Are we not losing many of our best people because they are disenchanted with the Government's policies?
§ Mr. WardDoes my hon. Friend think that it is fair to those who are refused work permits that girls from non-EEC countries coming to work here as au pair girls may be able to slip into full employment after a few months, to the detriment of those who want to come here under the normal procedures?
§ Mr. GrantThat should not happen. If my hon. Friend will supply evidence of that, we shall look into it.