§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many girls entered the country as au pairs during the last 10 years; and if he will list their countries of origin.
§ Mr. RaisonStatistics of persons subject to immigration control entering the United Kingdom are recorded on the basis of their citizenship/nationality, not 497W their country of origin. Detailed breakdowns by citizenship/nationality of the numbers of au pair girls given leave to enter have been published annually since 1973 in "Control of Immigration Statistics"—tables 1(a), 1(b) and 2 of the issue for 1978, Cmnd. 7576.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those nationalities who will be refused permission to enter the country as au pairs under the proposed new immigration rules.
§ Mr. RaisonAll except nationals of Western European countries, that is:
- Andorra
- Austria
- Cyprus
- Finland
- Greece
- Iceland
- Lichtenstein
- Malta
- Monaco
- Norway
- Portugal
- San Marino
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Turkey
- Yugoslavia
- and E.E.C. countries
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has had concerning the position of au pairs under the proposed new immigration rules; why boys are not allowed to enter the country as au pairs; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RaisonWe have received 27 letters on the subject and officials in the immigration and nationality department met representatives from the Internatinal Youth Welfare to discuss the proposals in December 1979. As a result of these representations and the comments made by members of both Houses during the debates on the proposals in Cmnd. 7750, the upper age limit on first admission as an au pair has been raised to 27.
The new rules make no change as regards boys being ineligible for admission as au pairs.