Overseas Students

HC Deb 21 June 1982 vol 26 cc16-7

32. Mr. Ioan Evans

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representation he has received regarding the number of overseas students currently being assisted by funds from his Department; and if he will make a statement.

36. Mr. Canavan

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many overseas students are currently being assisted by the Overseas Development Administration.

Mr. Neil Marten

I have received no recent representation specifically on the numbers of overseas students funded by my Department. We have trained about 13,000 people over the past year in this country on courses of varying length. I hope to sustain a similar programme in 1982, but I cannot at this stage give a total for the whole year. At the moment there are about 6,200 people undergoing training.

Mr. Evans

Has the Minister received representations from the United Kingdom branch of the Inter-Parliamentary Union to the effect that parliamentarians, particularly from Commonwealth and developing countries, are disturbed about the Government's attitude? Is he aware that in the past many students have come here to study and have returned to influential Government posts, but that similar people are now going East, West or to other parts of Europe?

Mr. Marten

I do not recall receiving representations from the IPU. The Overseas Students Trust study was published on 6 June. We are considering it, and that sort of question will arise.

Mr. Canavan

Will the Government rectify the unjust anomoly mentioned in that study, whereby students from British dependent territories such as Hong Kong have to pay up to 12 times the fee of students from Common Market countries?

Mr. Marten

That is one question that we shall consider. I have noticed the motion on the Order Paper.

Mr. Rhodes James

As the Overseas Students Trust spent 18 months preparing the report, and as its recommendations are reasonable and, I hope, acceptable to the Government, will my right hon. Friend invite the Leader of the House to give us the opportunity to debate the subject before the Summer Recess?

Mr. Marten

The Leader of the House is sitting on my right. I do not believe that he is deaf and he will have heard my hon. Friend's plea.