The British government’s
immigration control drive has led to the country missing out on students from India
According to Labour's
Baroness Blackstone, the country risked being in a "very unfortunate
position" when it came to attracting lucrative overseas students. Her
concerns were echoed by several peers at question time in the House of Lords.
However, Home Office
minister Lord Henley said latest UCAS figures showed a 13% increase in
university applications from students from outside the European Union.
Lady Blackstone said:
"Some bona fide institutions - universities - have lost as many as 20% of
their overseas students, particularly from India United States
and Australia
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| BARONESS TESSA BLACKSTONE |
Labour Viscount
Hanworth, a professor at Leicester University , said it was
"inappropriate" to treat students along with other immigrants.
He told peers: "The
measures designed to combat bogus institutions are also having a severe effect
on reputable institutions in the higher education sector. Under normal
circumstances, without the impediments created by the Government, their numbers
would be expected to follow a steeply upward trend which would be highly
profitable for the UK
Lord Henley told peers
it was right to "clamp down on bogus institutions" that were being
used "merely as a vehicle to get round immigration rules".
He added: "It might
be that there are some particular institutions that have lost out but we have
seen proportionate increases elsewhere."
He acknowledged there had
been a fall in applicants from the Indian sub-continent, but added: "There
have been areas where there have been significant rises - particularly
Australasia where there has been an increase of some 20% and Hong
Kong 37%."
