§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many work permits have been issued during each of the past five years to enable staff of overseas banks to work in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. John GrantThe information is not available in the precise form requested and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost in staff time.
Since the beginning of 1973 the numbers of work permits issued for overseas workers living abroad and permissions given to those already in this country for employment in insurance, banking, finance and advertising firms—including overseas companies established in business in this country—were as follows:
WORK PERMITS AND PERMISSIONS Year Number 1973 1,523 1974 1,485 1975 1,216 1976 1,021 * 1977 (January-June) 674 * Recorded issues. There would be some further issues—probably up to 100—not fully recorded because of industrial action affecting statistical work.