§ Mr. Powellasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish an analysis by trades and professions of the work permits on which Commonwealth citizens were admitted for settlement in the third quarter of 1975.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerWork permits do not give the right to settlement but, after four years in approved employment, a permit holder may be freed from employment restrictions and can then remain here indefinitely. The available occupational analysis relates to work permits issued and not to permit holders admitted; it is based on the Department's system of group classification of occupations.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that there was no special provision for this age group in the measures approved by the Government earlier this year. People over 55 years of age are eligible for the full and continually expanding range of courses offered by the Training Services 877W Agency (TSA) under the Training Opportunities Scheme (TOPS) which includes updating courses for unemployed or redundant craftsmen up to normal retirement age. At 30th November 1975, 714 people of 55 years of age or over were undergoing training under TOPS, of whom 73 were in Scotland.
The Employment Service Agency does all it can to assist older workers to find employment. Its policy is to encourage employers to consider older workers and to select on the basis of capacity, quality experience etc., regardless of age. In this connection it is considered that a policy of persuasion is preferable to one of compulsion, thereby avoiding any implication that older workers cannot compete on merit.