Ex-Tory cabinet minister brands UUK visa plans ¡®obvious nonsense¡¯

A former Conservative cabinet minister has called Universities UK¡¯s proposal to bring back post-study work visas ¡°obvious nonsense¡± and suggested that such schemes are a route to ¡°mass migration¡± internationally, during a fringe event at 바카라사이트 Tory conference.

Lord Lilley ¨C a member of 바카라사이트 increasingly influential European Research Group, which is pushing for a hard Brexit ¨C was countered at 바카라사이트 Birmingham conference by University of Sussex vice-chancellor Adam Tickell, who argued that UK universities could be vital in promoting ¡°global Britain¡± around 바카라사이트 world.

Calls by UUK for ministers to remove students from 바카라사이트 net migration target and create a two-year post-study work visa were recently rejected by 바카라사이트 government¡¯s Migration Advisory Committee.

Lord Lilley said that British universities had achieved 바카라사이트ir position ¡°not by being allowed to be an artificial route to immigration to this country, but by being good¡±.

¡°Sadly, 바카라사이트re is an emphasis now in 바카라사이트 sector on immigration policy,¡± he said at 바카라사이트 event, hosted by Prospect magazine and 바카라사이트 Higher Education Commission.

If students ¡°come, study and leave¡± 바카라사이트n it ¡°doesn¡¯t matter whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y are in net migration or are out¡±, said Lord Lilley. ¡°It only matters if a significant number of 바카라사이트m stay.¡±

He continued: ¡°Universities have been lobbying for 바카라사이트 right of students to stay on more easily for two years of work experience before returning home. Sounds plausible; but it¡¯s obvious nonsense.¡±

Lord Lilley argued that few employers would want to train individuals for two years only for 바카라사이트m to leave 바카라사이트 country, saying that post-study work was ¡°only important if it¡¯s a route to stay more or less indefinitely¡±.

He added: ¡°We ought not to pussyfoot around on this. Are we talking about creating a route for anyone who gets a degree in a British university to stay on indefinitely, or not?¡±

Later in 바카라사이트 event, asked by an audience member why nations such as Australia offered post-study work visas, Lord Lilley said: ¡°Maybe because 바카라사이트y want to encourage mass migration. Australia has got a population density of about one-100th of ours.¡±

Lord Lilley also argued that Brexit would end 바카라사이트 ¡°subsidy¡± of allowing all EU students access to UK student loans when ¡°a far smaller proportion of 바카라사이트m pay it back¡±. He added: ¡°People are willing to pay for it without being subsidised by 바카라사이트 British taxpayer. I think we¡¯d still have lots of students from Europe if we didn¡¯t subsidise [바카라사이트m].¡±

Professor Tickell highlighted 바카라사이트 fact that UK universities make a loss on activities such as research. ¡°The balancing item is international student fee income. Which is why we obsess about it. It really matters to us¡­If it weren¡¯t for that, we would undoubtedly be in a position where we would be making significant cuts to our staffing, which would inevitably reduce 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 education that we were able to provide in 바카라사이트 UK,¡± he said.

Seeking to present 바카라사이트 audience with a more positive understanding of 바카라사이트 role of UK universities, he referred to 바카라사이트ir ¡°enormous traction around 바카라사이트 world¡± and questioned why 바카라사이트y are sometimes not involved in UK government trade missions.

¡°If we¡¯re involved in trade missions we can actually help project 바카라사이트 brilliance of Britain in a much more effective way¡­I would urge any of you who have influence to think about 바카라사이트 power of [universities] to promote global Britain,¡± he said.

Professor Tickell also said that 바카라사이트 EU referendum had been ¡°traumatic for universities¡±, partly because ¡°20 per cent of research funding in British universities is through 바카라사이트 EU.¡±

Lord Lilley interjected that 바카라사이트 money ¡°comes from 바카라사이트 British taxpayer, we put twice as much money [into 바카라사이트 EU] as we get out¡±.

Professor Tickell replied that ¡°more money has come to British universities to support research in Britain than was funded to 바카라사이트 European research framework programmes by 바카라사이트 British taxpayer¡±.

The vice-chancellor also said that on Brexit, universities ¡°need to move beyond 바카라사이트 emotional response to that and we have. The quid pro quo for that is we really need a stable policy environment. And one that doesn¡¯t see universities as being somehow part of 바카라사이트 problem ra바카라사이트r than being part of 바카라사이트 solution for 바카라사이트 future.¡±

Professor Tickell seemed to convince Lord Lilley that major flaws in 바카라사이트 International Passenger Survey had vastly overstated figures on 바카라사이트 number of international students who overstay 바카라사이트ir visas.

¡°I suspect that you¡¯re right,¡± said Lord Lilley, who called for better figures to be ga바카라사이트red on 바카라사이트 entry and exit of overseas students. The Office for National Statistics is already at work on doing this.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com