§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many applications were(a) received and (b) granted from overseas doctors for work permits in the last year for which figures are available. [21874]
§ Mr. Alan HowarthA total of 965 work permit applications for overseas doctors were recorded as received in the financial year 1996–97. A small proportion of these were appeals against an earlier refusal and relate to the same individual. The number of applications approved was 888.