§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department since November 1991, how many overseas domestic workers have applied for indefinite leave to stay on compassionate grounds; and how many have been granted it.
§ Mr. Charles WardleThe available information is that in the period 1 November 1991 to 30 June 1993 150 overseas domestic workers, excluding dependants, were accepted for settlement after four years continuous employment.
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many overseas domestic workers have applied to change their employer since November 1991; and how many applications have been granted.
§ Mr. Charles WardleThe information requested is not available.
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many overseas domestic workers have entered the United Kingdom under the 1980 concession since November 1991; and how many of their employers have reported to the Home Office that their domestic staff have left their employment while in the United Kingdom;
(2) how many employers of overseas domestic workers have reported to his Department that their domestic staff have left their employment while in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Charles WardleComprehensive information on the number of overseas domestic workers admitted to the United Kingdom at ports of entry is not available. However, it is estimated that approximately 20,000 grants of entry clearance to come to the United Kingdom as a domestic worker under the 1980 concession were made at posts abroad between 1 January 1992 and 31 August 1993. Corresponding information for November and December 1991 is not available.
Information on the numbers of domestic workers reported as having left their employers is not available.
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many overseas domestic workers have applied since November 1991 for an extension to their visa; and how many have been granted an extension.
§ Mr. Charles WardleDuring the period I November 1991 to 30 June 1993 a total of 2,340 persons, excluding dependants, were granted an extension of stay in the United Kingdom as an overseas domestic worker under the 1980 concession. The number of applications for an extension is not separately identifiable in the statistics.
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the level of abuse and maltreatment of overseas domestic workers; and what measures he is taking in response.
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§ Mr. Charles WardleNone; but we keep the general arrangements for the overseas domestic workers scheme under review.
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the Government will include in their "Notice to Employers of Domestic Servants Travelling to the United Kingdom" a statement that it is a criminal offence in the United Kingdom to withhold another person's passport.
§ Mr. Charles WardleNo. The information leaflet for domestic servants travelling to the United Kingdom already makes it clear that their passport is an important document and that they should keep it themselves in a safe place. Employers receive a copy of the leaflet for their information.