HC Deb 30 April 1981 vol 3 c433W
Mr. Teddy Taylor

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate he has made of the numbers of European Economic Community nationals resident or working in the United Kingdom and of the numbers of United Kingdom citizens living or working in the European Economic Community.

Mr. Waddington

[pursuant to his reply, 29 April 1981]: It is estimated that in May 1979, the latest date for which information is available, there were 620,000 nationals of other European Community countries, aged 16 or over, living in the United Kingdom and that of these 410,000 were in employment. Citizens of the Republic of Ireland account for nearly three-quarters of European Community nationals living and working in the United Kingdom.

For United Kingdom citizens employed in other European Community countries, the available figures for the various countries relate to different periods between 1975 and 1979. The total of these figures gives an estimate of 72,000 employees, excluding those working in the Republic of Ireland, for which corresponding information is not available. Based on partial information for the Republic of Ireland, it is estimated that the total for all other European Community countries would be very approximately 80,000.