HC Deb 10 March 2004 vol 418 cc1592-3W
Mr. Andrew Turner

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many work permits were issued in each year since 1997; and what(a)forecasts he has made and (b)evidence of need he has collected for each year to 2010. [156087]

Beverley Hughes

[holding answer 25 February 2004]:The total number of work permits issued, including extensions, in the period from 1997 to the third quarter 2003 (the latest date for which information is available) is as follows:

Number
1997 44,958
1998 53,962
1999 60,743
2000 88,651
2001 120,823
2002 136,151
2003 108,221

The work permit system is designed to be flexible and responsive to the needs of employers and the economy. There are no forecasted targets for the number of work permits issued, although Work Permits (UK) does make internal planning assumptions about expected volumes of applications, in order to allocate resources to process applications. Work Permits (UK) Business Plan for 2003–2004 makes a planning assumption of 230, 500 applications received. This total includes Sector Based Scheme, Highly Skilled Migrant Programme and Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme applications and extensions.

These planning assumptions are informed by monitoring trends in volumes of applications and consultation with stakeholders, including other government departments on labour market conditions.

However, there is no long-term forecast of expected volumes of applications.

Mr. Hoyle

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his assessment of the benefit to the UK of work permits. [157295]

Beverley Hughes

The work permit arrangements are a key part of the Government's managed migration strategy, under which the United Kingdom seeks to offer legal routes for the admission of those foreign nationals who possess skills and qualifications that are in short supply here and who will contribute to the economy.

The work permit arrangements offer an efficient and responsive means of ensuring that UK employers are able to recruit overseas workers with the skills that they need, while protecting the interests of resident workers.