§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many applications from hospital trusts for work permits for nurses have been(a) refused and (b) reduced in duration by his Department in each of the last five years. [68581]
§ Ms HodgeThe specific information requested is not available as work permit records do not identify the type of employer. The numbers of work permit applications for nurses which were refused in each of the last five years are as follows:
Year Number 1994 171 1995 151 1996 182 1997 93 1998 144 These figures show each application refused, not each person. They therefore include a number of nurses for whom several applications were made, including applications for renewals and transfers to another employer.
707WWork permit records show the period approved, not the period requested. It is therefore not possible to give the numbers of permit applications which were approved for a shorter period than requested. The period requested would only be reduced where the business reasons given in the application did not justify the longer period.