§ Mr. ClappisonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the current average waiting time for an application to the Immigration and Nationality Department for a work permit; and what was the average waiting time in each of the previous three years for which figures are recorded. [78661]
§ Ms HodgeApplications for work permits are made to the Department for Education and Employment's Overseas Labour Service. Records are kept on the proportion of applications cleared within four and eight weeks:
1998–99 (estimated) 1997–98 1996–97 Proportion cleared within four weeks 70 66 73 Proportion cleared within eight weeks 93 91 95 Numbers cleared 73,000 62,258 53,718