§ Miss Richardsonasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the number of 12 month work permits issued in 1978 and the first half of 1979 outside the special quota arrangements to persons in occupations not serviced by the Professional and Executive Recruitment 480W Service; and what is his estimate of the number of such permits issued to persons under the age of 23 years.
§ Mr. Jim LesterIt is not possible to make such an estimate from the available statistical records which, in particular, make no analysis by age.
§ Mr. Wolfsonasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he intends to continue with the issue of work permits for resident domestics and other semi-skilled or unskilled workers.
§ Mr. MayhewThe arrangements under which a limited number of resident domestics and certain other semi-skilled or un-skilled workers have been allowed to come here to work will be discontinued from the end of this year. Very few permits are, in fact, issued under these arrangements and we think it right that in the future, the issue of permits should be generally restricted to overseas workers who meet the more rigorous skills standards to which I referred in answer to a question from my hon. Friend, the Member for Brighouse and Spenborough (Mr. Waller) on 14 November and which come into force on 1 January 1980. The continuation of the special annual quota for semi-skilled workers from the Dependent Territories is under consideration.—[Vol. 973, c.609–12.]