HC Deb 24 July 1933 vol 280 cc2244-5W
Captain ERSKINE-BOLST

asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the appointment of a committee to increase the number of overseas students coming to this country, the Government intend mainly to encourage those who desire to devote themselves to technical education and trade; and whether suitable steps will be taken to decrease the number of those students who come to this country merely to study for the professions?

Sir J. GILMOUR

It has been the policy of successive Governments to facilitate the admission of bona fide foreign students to this country without discrimination as to the objects of their study on the understanding, of course, that in the absence of special circumstances they will be expected to leave the country when their studies are completed. The committee to which the hon. and gallant Member refers was appointed, not to consider the imposition of restrictions upon certain classes of foreign students, but to consider what further steps could usefully be taken to encourage suitable students to come to the United Kingdom for education and training—general, commercial or technical. The Government propose to await the recommendations of the committee before considering what further steps should be taken.