§ 18. Mr. Beithasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has studied the proposals of the Overseas Students Trust about future policy on overseas students, a copy of which has been sent to him.
§ Mr. WaldegraveYes, Sir.
§ Mr. BeithDoes the Minister accept the assertion in the report that the line between home and overseas students is drawn in the wrong place, particularly in the light of the fact that students from British dependencies, including the Falkland Islands, must pay many times more than students from overseas dependencies of other countries in Europe?
§ Mr. WaldegraveI welcome the report as a practical and hard-headed document with a number of good ideas in it. Ministers are now looking at it. They will have to look, in particular, at the matter to which the hon. Gentleman has drawn attention. There are large expenditure implications involved with all dependent territories.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyDoes my hon. Friend agree that the number of overseas student places must be rationed by price or by number? Are the Government willing to examine the possibility of some flexibility in moving the boundaries of both?
§ Mr. WaldegraveMinisters are looking at all the subject matter covered by the Overseas Students Trust report. I do not think that we want to experiment with quotas as the Labour Government did. This was shown to be inequitable and impractical.