HC Deb 19 October 1976 vol 917 cc413-4W
35. Miss Joan Lestor

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many foreign workers have been admitted to Great Britain for employment in the catering trade in the last three years.

Mr. John Grant

Statistics of work permit holders admitted to the country are not available in the precise form requested. However, the numbers of work permits issued for workers overseas together with permissions given to workers already here for foreign workers for employment in the hotel and catering industry in 1974, 1975 and the first half of this year were:

1974 6,669
1975 7,660
1976 2,040

EEC nationals do not require work permits to take employment in Great Britain. The numbers who had taken employment in the hotel and catering industry when they applied for residence permits, required after six months in this country, were 1,374 in 1974, and 1,265 in 1975. Figures for the first half of 1976 are not available.