HL Deb 25 October 1976 vol 376 cc8-9

2.50 p.m.

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what reciprocal arrangements exist between the United Kingdom and the Bahamas in respect of the issue of work permits to our respective citizens and, in particular, what fees are payable in each case.

Lord JACQUES

My Lords, there are no reciprocal arrangements between the United Kingdom and the Bahamas for the issue of work permits. No fee is charged for a work permit by the United Kingdom. Fees charged by the Bahamas vary according to the category of job and range from 25 to 5,000 Bahamian dollars per annum.

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for that reply. Would he not agree that, despite the absence of any formal reciprocal arrangements, there really ought to be some form of equality? If he is unwilling to introduce fees for Bahamian citizens applying for work permits in this country, will he use his influence with the Bahamian Government to see that the fees charged there are more equitable?

Lord JACQUES

My Lords, the fees charged by the Bahamian Government are a matter for the Bahamian Government. As regards the question of our charging fees, I would say, first, that very few countries charge fees for work permits; so far as we know, there are only three in the world. Secondly, there were only 11 permits issued in the United Kingdom to Bahamian citizens last year, so that very little would be raised. Thirdly, if we are to have fees for this, I should hope that they would be on a better basis than tit-for-tat.

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that further answer. Could he then revert to the second suggestion that I made; namely, the possibility of making representations to the Bahamian Government to reduce the fees there or make them more in line with the benefits granted?

Lord JACQUES

My Lords, we have no evidence that the fees charged by the Bahamian Government cause hardship to any resident of the United Kingdom.

Lord HAILSHAM of SAINT MARYLEBONE

But surely, my Lords, if this were done by us it would be denounced universally as blatantly racist.