§ Rev. Martin SmythTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what investigations have been conducted by the Home Office regarding the issuing of work permits, before 1 September, to workers at the Marie Star Cafe, Belfast; whether the Department of Employment and Learning followed Home Office practice with respect to work permits issued to workers at the Marie Star Cafe before 1 September; and whether the application for work permits specify that they would be lap-dancers and pole-dancers at the Marie Star Cafe, Belfast. [82442]
§ Beverley HughesBefore 1 September 2002, the Department of Employment and Learning held responsibility for the issuing of work permits for Northern Ireland. Therefore, the Home Office did not carry out any investigations regarding work permits in Northern Ireland relating to permits issued before that date.
I understand from the Department of Employment and Learning that they followed the same work permit criteria as that used by Work Permits (UK) in the Home Office.
The applications from the Marie Star Cafe specified the job title as "Professional Stage and Pole Dancers".
§ Rev. Martin SmythTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the paperwork relating to the issuing of and re-applications for work permits for workers at the Marie Star Cafe has been passed from the Department of Employment and Learning to the Home Office. [82443]
§ Beverley HughesYes. Northern Ireland's Department of Employment and Learning transferred all available paperwork relating to work permit applications made in Northern Ireland to Work Permits UK in early September 2002. However, the work permits for the Marie Star Cafe had by that time already been issued by the Department of Employment and Learning.