§ 29. Mr. Wardasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many work permits are issued each year; and how many of these are for workers from the New Commonwealth and Pakistan.
§ Mr. John GrantThe numbers of permits issued have been going down in recent years. In 1974, 33,000 were issued, of which 7,500 were for workers from the New Commonwealth and Pakistan; in 1975 the corresponding figures were 30,000 and 7,300, and in 1976 they were 22,600 and 5,100 respectively.
Complete figures for last year are not yet available but in the first three quarters, about 14,300 were issued, of which 3,400 were for New Commonwealth and Pakistan workers.
The figures include both permits issued for people abroad and permissions to take work given for people already here for some other purpose.