§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the number of applications he has received for work permits for chefs for each year since 1990 indicating the number of permits granted; what plans he has to review his Department's policy on the admission of chefs; and how many work permits for chefs are currently under consideration by his Department. [43083]
§ Mr. Alan HowarthThe information about work permit applications for chefs requested is as follows:
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Year Number of applications received Number approved 1990 2,160 767 1991 2,091 538 1992 1,408 455 1993 1,058 349 1994 844 238 1995 530 198 1996 589 259 1997 513 220
§ Dr. HowellsThe information requested is shown in the following table.
These figures include a small number of chefs training or gaining work experience. The totals for 1990–94 reflect the large number of applications made for a limited number of available permits under the former Dependent Territories Quota Scheme which was phased out over the period.
There are currently 114 work permit applications for chefs under consideration.
The Department consults, informally and formally, employers and interested bodies about the criteria for work permits but there are no firm plans at present to review the criteria for chefs.