§ Mr. Christopher Priceasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now make a statement about the fee arrangements for students from European Economic Community countries.
§ Mr. Mark CarlisleIt is intended that from 1 September 1980 students from other countries of the European Community shall pay fees at the level charged to home students. In 1978–79 there were nearly 3,000 students from these countries studying in the United Kingdom educational establishments. It is estimated that if the same number of students were on courses in 1980–81 it would cost about £2 million extra in the financial year 1980–81 rising to £5 million by 1983–84. In the case of maintained institutions allowance was made for an appropriate share of this in the RSG settlement announced on 16 November 1979. Similar allowance was made in the Estimates for university expenditure presented to Parliament on 26 March 1980 and an appropriate adjustment to the grants announced on 27 March will be made. Full details of the operation of this scheme will be sent to educational establishments shortly.
§ Mr. Christopher Priceasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set out in the Official Report the definition of a new "course" for the purposes of charging full cost fees to existing overseas students; and whether any flexibility will be allowed in the case of foundation and other courses with organic links to subsequent ones.
§ Mr. Mark CarlisleA course for this purpose would be a period of organised study complete in itself so that the student may leave on completion without necessarily going on to another.
§ Mr. Christopher Priceasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set out in the Official Report those European Economic Community ferring to other items of non-institutional directives, regulations and other ordin- 114W ances, on which he is basing his new rules about the fee arrangements for European Economic Community students.
§ Mr. Mark CarlisleApart from article 12 of EC Regulation 1612/68 concerning the children of migrant workers, there are as yet no Community directives, regulations or other ordinances relevant to tuition fee arrangements.
§ Mr. Christopher Priceasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many of his recently announced new postgraduate bursaries for overseas students of high academic potential will be awarded in polytechnics.
§ Mr. Mark CarlisleI refer the hon. Member to my answer on 22 January to the hon. Member for Bedwellty (Mr. Kinnock).—[Vol. 977, c. 112.]