§ Mr. WyattTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress has been made towards meeting the targets for the recruitment of international fee-paying students in the higher education and further education sectors under the Prime Minister's initiative; and what value has accrued to the United Kingdom economy from the campaign so far. [64680]
§ Margaret Hodge[holding answer 27 June 2002]Our targets are to attract 25,000 extra further education students and 50,000 extra higher education students from outside the EU by 2005 (compared to 1996–97). Based on actual figures for England, Northern Ireland and Scotland and an estimate for Wales, 46,609 students from non-EU countries took fill-time courses at further education colleges in the UK in 2000–01, compared to 25,102 in 1996–97 The extra 21,500 students made an estimated fee and non-fee contribution to the UK economy in 2000–01 in the region of £215 million. The non-EU total for international students in fill-time UK higher education has risen to 140,905 for 2001–02, compared to 109,940 in 1996–97. For 2001–02, the additional 30,965 students make an estimated fee and non-fee contribution to the UK economy broadly in the region of £480 million.