Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Oral Answers to Questions

Roberta Blackman-Woods Excerpts
Thursday 10th April 2014

(10 years, 8 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Matt Hancock Portrait The Minister for Skills and Enterprise (Matthew Hancock)
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We now live in a world in which an increasing amount of trade is carried out online at times that are convenient to consumers and others. We relaxed the rules during the Olympics, and said at the time that we would assess the impact of that relaxation. A debate about the issue is undoubtedly taking place.

Roberta Blackman-Woods Portrait Roberta Blackman-Woods (City of Durham) (Lab)
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T6. The latest report from the Higher Education Funding Council for England shows for the first time in 29 years a decline in the number of overseas students studying in the United Kingdom. Let me now give the Secretary of State another opportunity to admit that the inclusion of students in the net migration target is hindering the growth and international competitiveness of our British universities.

Lord Willetts Portrait The Minister for Universities and Science (Mr David Willetts)
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There is no cap on the number of legitimate overseas students coming to Britain, and we will not introduce any such cap. The Secretary of State and I work with the Prime Minister and others on trade missions around the world to encourage young people with the necessary aptitude and qualifications to benefit from study in Britain to apply to come here. We can be proud of our universities.