The Earl of SELKIRKasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many Commonwealth students are currently studying in this country; and whether such period of training counts towards the four years normally required before the right of permanent residence is accorded.
§ Lord HARRIS of GREENWICH: Home Office statistics collected for the 151WA purpose of immigration control show the number of Commonwealth citizens admitted annually as students but not the total number here in that capacity at any one time. The numbers of students admitted from all Commonwealth countries in the years 1973, 1974 and 1975 were 25,210, 29,087 and 31,380 respectively. Figures published by the British Council estimate that in the academic year 1973-74 there were some 45,000 overseas students aged 18 or over from Commonwealth countries and United Kingdom Dependencies in Britain. Time spent here as a student does not in itself qualify a person for removal of the time limit on his stay. A Commonwealth citizen ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom on 1st January 1973, when the Immigration Act 1971 came into force, may however benefit from the transitional provisions which confer exemption from deportation in certain cases after 5 years.