Overseas Students Trust (Hansard, 19 July 1982)

§ 48. Mr. Canavan
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has yet finalised the response of his Department to the Overseas Students Trust.

§ Mr. Neil Marten
No, Sir.

§ Mr. Canavan
Although the report does not go far enough, does the Minister accept that it would at least be a step in the right direction if we were to abolish the increased fees for students from British dependent territories? For example, is it not sheer hypocrisy for the Prime Minister and other Ministers to keep telling us that the Falkland Islanders are British and yet to charge their students up to 12 times the fees of British students?

§ Mr. Marten
We shall consider such factors when we consider the report.

§ Mr. Rhodes James
As my right hon. Friend is aware, the entire study was commissioned by British industry and business and the CBI, which were deeply concerned about the effects on British trade and influence abroad of the decisions made by the Labour Government. Will he tell the House when the Government's view on the report will be given?

§ Mr. Marten
I recognise the source of the money for the study, but many of the people who carried out the study will have experience much wider than in business. The timing of the report is under consideration. There are one or two quite difficult problems. I hope that we shall be able to say something about it when Parliament reassembles after the Summer Recess.