Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Smith of Malvern on 2 February (HL13584), what assessment they have made of the financial impact on UK universities, including any loss of overseas tuition fee income, resulting from restrictions imposed by the government of the United Arab Emirates on funding for its students permitted to study in the UK.

The UK offers one of the best education systems in the world, especially teaching and research in high growth sectors of the future. We welcome high-quality students from across the world, including from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The Office for Students is the independent regulator of higher education in England. As such, it monitors the financial health of providers to ensure it has an up to date understanding of the sustainability of the sector.

The UK and UAE have a deep and long-standing bilateral relationship, and we will continue to discuss this matter with their government.