Baroness Royall of Blaisdon debates involving the Department for Education during the 2019-2024 Parliament

Universities: Financial Sustainability

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon Excerpts
Tuesday 21st May 2024

(7 months ago)

Lords Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Watch Debate Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Baroness Barran Portrait Baroness Barran (Con)
- View Speech - Hansard - - - Excerpts

If the noble Lord looks at the recent data that has been produced on the financial health of our universities, he will see that larger universities, such as those in the Russell group, are in very good financial health and continue to show significant surpluses. Of course the Government have a role to play in making sure that student interests are protected in the case of a university failing.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon Portrait Baroness Royall of Blaisdon (Lab)
- View Speech - Hansard - -

My Lords, does the Minister agree that international students have a positive impact on our skills base, future workforce and international influence? Businesses recently said that they agree. If this is the case, why do the Government want to axe the graduate visa programme? Could it be that they are pandering to the right wing of the Conservative Party rather than thinking of the greater good of our country?

Baroness Barran Portrait Baroness Barran (Con)
- View Speech - Hansard - - - Excerpts

The Government recognise the value of international students and are very proud of our international education strategy and what it has achieved. However, the Home Secretary commissioned the Migration Advisory Committee to write a report, which it published very recently, and the Government are considering its recommendations with care.

Plurilingual and Intercultural Education

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon Excerpts
Tuesday 18th October 2022

(2 years, 2 months ago)

Lords Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Watch Debate Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Baroness Barran Portrait Baroness Barran (Con)
- View Speech - Hansard - - - Excerpts

The Government are concerned about the level of uptake of modern foreign languages in schools generally, and specifically in the communities to which the noble Baroness refers. That is why we announced in our schools White Paper that we are setting up a network of language hubs, introducing new continual professional development courses for language teachers at both primary and secondary level, and have undertaken a review of the modern foreign languages GCSE curriculum and syllabus, which we think will improve uptake.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon Portrait Baroness Royall of Blaisdon (Lab)
- View Speech - Hansard - -

My Lords, I remind noble Lords of my entries in the register. The Minister mentioned some facts and figures to do with the Turing scheme. Can she assure us that all students who spend a year abroad as part of their studies at university do not have to pay any extra and that their universities do not have to subsidise them in any way as a result of the change from Erasmus to the Turing scheme?

Baroness Barran Portrait Baroness Barran (Con)
- View Speech - Hansard - - - Excerpts

I will need to confirm the exact details of that in writing to the noble Baroness.