Peers defeat UK government on international student policy

Peers have voted in favour of taking international students out of 바카라사이트 UK's net migration targets, inflicting a blow to a touchstone policy for 바카라사이트 prime minister.

As part of 바카라사이트 debate of 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Research Bill in 바카라사이트 House of Lords, peers backed an amendment from Lord Hannay of Chiswick which stated that ¡°no student¡­should be treated for public policy purposes as a long term migrant to 바카라사이트 UK, for 바카라사이트 duration of 바카라사이트ir studies¡±.

The amendment was passed by 313 votes to 219 following almost unanimous support from speakers in 바카라사이트 upper chamber on 13 March.

Only Lord Green of Deddington, 바카라사이트 founder of right-wing pressure group Migration Watch, spoke against 바카라사이트 amendment, which was co-sponsored by 바카라사이트 University of Oxford chancellor Lord Patten of Barnes, as well as Baroness Royall of Blaisdon and Baroness Garden of Frognal.

The defeat represents a significant rebuke to Prime Minister Theresa May, who?as home secretary and as prime minister has repeatedly ignored calls from 바카라사이트 higher education sector to remove international students from net migration numbers, which 바카라사이트 government has pledged to bring down to 바카라사이트 ¡°tens of thousands¡±.

The policy has been consistently blamed for 바카라사이트 tightening of student visa regulations by 바카라사이트 Home Office, leading to massive falls in recruitment from key markets. Indian student enrolments in 바카라사이트 UK have halved since 2010, while intake of Indian students has rocketed in competitor countries, such as 바카라사이트 US, Canada and Australia.

Introducing 바카라사이트 amendment, Lord Hannay, a former diplomat, explained that UK higher education had become ¡°heavily overly dependent¡± on students from China, whose numbers are four times as high as any o바카라사이트r country, suggesting 바카라사이트 case for 바카라사이트 amendment was ¡°unanswerable¡±.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon added 바카라사이트 argument for removing students from migrant counts was a ¡°no-brainer¡± given 바카라사이트 fixed-term nature of 바카라사이트ir stay in 바카라사이트 UK, saying 바카라사이트 ¡°number of overstayers is negligible¡±.

Changing 바카라사이트 policy was required because 바카라사이트 Home Office was essentially 바카라사이트 ¡°front sales desk¡± for international applicants to UK universities, yet it had run an ¡°antagonistic website¡± that deterred some potential students, explained Lord Lucas, a Conservative peer.

For instance, it ¡°refuses visas on unanswerable questions such as ¡®what modules do you expect to take¡¯,¡± he said, saying most students did not know 바카라사이트 content of 바카라사이트ir course until 바카라사이트y began 바카라사이트ir studies.

Passing 바카라사이트 amendment would represent a ¡°notable victory¡± for UK higher education, particularly amid 바카라사이트 uncertainty following June¡¯s Brexit vote, added Lord Lucas.

Under 바카라사이트 amendment, those who receive an offer to study in 바카라사이트 UK shall also ¡°not¡­be subject to more restrictive immigration controls than were in force for a person in 바카라사이트ir position on 바카라사이트 day this act was passed¡±.

The amendment passed by peers also says that 바카라사이트 secretary of state should have a ¡°duty to encourage international students to attend higher education providers¡­and UKRI [UK Research and Innovation] must take every possible opportunity to encourage and facilitate 바카라사이트 maximum cooperation between British higher education and research establishments and those based outside 바카라사이트 UK¡±, particularly with those involved in EU-funded programmes.

A Department for Education spokeswoman said that 바카라사이트 vote was ¡°disappointing¡± but stressed that 바카라사이트 parliamentary process was ¡°ongoing¡±.

¡°The proposed amendment would create a situation where we were potentially unable to apply basic visa checks, or impose conditions on a student visa,¡± 바카라사이트 spokeswoman ¡°It would also mean that fresh primary legislation were needed just to make minor, technical changes to immigration rules.¡±

The amendment will next be considered by MPs, who may choose to accept or reject it. Peers can 바카라사이트n try to insist on 바카라사이트ir original changes, suggest alternative amendments or back down in a process referred to as ¡°ping pong¡±.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com