§ Mr. John Grantasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will list the precise differences in the revised scheme for work permits recently announced, as compared with the previous arrangements;
(2) what is his estimate of the overall size of the annual reduction in work permits, by actual numbers and as a percentage of the whole, which he expects 442W will result from the new arrangements recently announced; and if he will give similar estimates of the expected reductions in particular job categories.
§ Mr. Mayhew[pursuant to his reply, 22 November 1979]: I draw the hon. Member's attention to my reply to a written question from my hon. Friend the Member for Brighouse and Spenborough (Mr. Waller) on 14 November in which the proposed changes in the work permit scheme were specified. It is not possible to give an estimate of the annual reduction in work permits that will result from these new arrangements, as the success of an individual application for a work permit depends, among other factors, on the current availability of home labour, which cannot be known in advance.