§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many payments of' fees are outstanding in respect of Cameroonian students at universities in the United Kingdom; for what period the fees remain unpaid; whether living expenses remain unpaid in respect of those students, and for what period; and whether they will make representations to the Cameroonian authorities to urge them to meet their obligations towards their students in the United Kingdom.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey)I understand that British universities are currently owed a total of £434,000 in unpaid living expenses and fees for Cameroonian students sponsored by the Cameroon Government. Some of these debts date back to 1991. There are at present 193 students studying in the United Kingdom. Information about the detailed circumstances of individual students or their arrangement with their government for the payment of living expenses is not available. Following representations earlier this year by the British Embassy in Yaoundé, the Cameroon Government made an initial payment of £456,000 to the universities, thus reducing the debt to its present level. I hope that they will meet the remainder of their obligations to both British universities and their own students.