Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Johnson of Marylebone and Bob Blackman

Tuesday 10th November 2015 Commons Chamber

[Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con)]

7. What estimate he has made of the number of students from India applying to study in the UK in each of the past three years.

[The Minister for Universities and Science (Joseph Johnson)]

While overall international student numbers are up year on year, there were 16,000 Indian students in 2015—a decline of 13% over the past three years. However, it is worth stressing that India remains our second largest such market.

[Bob Blackman]

The fact is that the numbers of students choosing to come here has declined by 53% in the past four years. There is clear concern that we need to do something about this so that Britain, rather than the United States or elsewhere, becomes the choice for Indians to study. What measures can my hon. Friend take on visas, changing times for study and the ability of students to work here?

[Joseph Johnson]

It is important that we clear up misperceptions in the Indian market about the openness of our offer. We are open to international students. There is no cap on the number of international students who can come and study here, or on the number who can come and stay here after they finish studying, provided that they get a graduate job. We want to make more Indian students feel welcome here, and that is what we will be doing during the visit of Prime Minister Modi later this week.