FUTURE OF RESTAURANT AND CURRY INDUSTRIES

Early day motion 1356, tabled 21 April 2008 by George Galloway (Respect). Signed by 32 members.

That this House notes the enormous economic contribution made by immigrants into Britain through the restaurant trade and other industries; notes that many restaurants are having great difficulty finding staff owing to visa restrictions on the entry of workers from outside the European Union, while at the same time significant numbers of such workers are already in the UK but whose temporary work permits have expired; and therefore believes that enabling these workers to work legally through an extension of their permits makes economic sense and would avoid them having to return to countries outside the EU in order to apply for their permits from there, where there is the very real possibility these permits would be refused.

Signatures by party: Labour 16, Liberal Democrat 9, Conservative 2, Independent 2, Respect 1, Scottish National Party 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.