§ Mr. WillisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to amend the working holiday visa scheme to allow greater flexibility in respect of the employment of overseas teachers; and if he will make a statement. [130778]
§ Mrs. RocheWe have no plans to relax the working holidaymakers rules. Flexibility already exists for working holidaymakers in the teaching profession in that they are not precluded from continuing their career in the United Kingdom and may work as supply teachers.
The purpose of the working holidaymaker scheme is not to enable overseas teachers to secure employment. As the title implies, any work is to be incidental to an extended holiday here and participants are not expected to work for the whole of their time. There are already a number of existing mechanisms under the Immigration Rules to facilitate the employment of overseas teachers, including the work permit scheme and the approved exchange scheme for teachers and language assistants.
§ Mr. WillisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many working holidaymaker visas were issued to overseas teachers in the last three years for which figures are available; [130779]
(2) how many working holidaymaker visas have been issued to overseas teachers and have not yet expired; and how many such teachers are known to be in (a) London and (b) the rest of the United Kingdom [130780]
§ Mrs. RocheI regret that the available information—on working holidaymakers admitted to the United Kingdom—does not separately identify those who are teachers nor their place of residence in this country.