§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what basis(a) Mr. Hector Sam and (b) Mr. Carlos Edwards were granted work permits; and what assessment has been made of the extent to which conditions attaching to their work permits have been fulfilled. [1044]
§ Angela EagleThe work permit applications for Hector Sam and Carlos Edwards were approved after Wrexham Football Club submitted a sworn affidavit from a Trinidad and Tobago Football Association medical official stating that Carlos Edwards and Hector Sam were injured and unavailable for selection in some of the games used to calculate their playing records in the previous two years.
In line with the policy relating to injuries, set out in the published criteria, those games were excluded from the calculations and the players subsequently met the criterion of playing in at least 75 percent. of competitive international matches in the previous two years prior to the applications being lodged with the Department.
Work permits are issued to employers to employ an overseas national in a specific post based on the information contained in work permit application form. Where doubt is cast subsequently on that information, the Department investigates this. No concerns have been raised with the Department about Carlos Edwards and Hector Sam.