Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Bill

The Minister needs to consider this in relative terms. Although he believes that applications are up 5 per cent., I suggest that he look at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s report on the UK’s market share in international student recruitment, which shows that the number is down by 3 per cent., although I agree that that covers the period since 1999. Acceptances for international undergraduates through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service from key markets are also down this year in certain areas—by 22.5 per cent. for China, by 18.6 per cent. for Singapore, and by 7.9 per cent. for Malaysia. Those statistics have been provided by Universities UK. Some 40 per cent. of vice-chancellors who responded to a Universities UK survey in December last year reported that they had seen a fall or no increase in the number of international student enrolments in the last academic year, and 50 per cent. said that they had missed their targets for international student recruitment. According to a snapshot survey by Universities UK, many institutions report a decline in international student enrolments for entry in 2005 compared with 2004. That decline inevitably means heavy financial losses for institutions—some universities report expected losses of between £1 million and £3 million this year. UK Visas reports a decline in student visa applications in a number of key posts, including Beijing, Islamabad, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Chennai. In Beijing, student visa applications are down by 38 per cent. and in Islamabad by about 37 per cent. In the further education sector, colleges report decreases of 20 per cent. in their income from international fees. I find it hard to understand where the Minister’s information about an increase in applications comes from when the evidence that Universities UK has put before me shows quite a different position. At the same time, for example, the USA has had an increase in student applications during 2005, and is issuing about 15 per cent. more student visas this year compared with previous years, encouraged by a US Government campaign in China to attract international students to US institutions. I am informed that US visa officers have been advised to concentrate on the intention or ability to study, rather than on the intention to leave on completion of the course. Visa officers concentrated previously on the intention to leave and often had doubts about applicants’ intentions to leave, and therefore refused more applications. Australia has been running an electronic visa application system in China for several months, and it is proving popular with international students owing to its efficiency and speed. It appears that electronic applications for UK visas in countries such as China are still several years away. All those indicators certainly show that we are not doing our best to encourage international students to study in this country. Certainly, in the context of increasing global competition and given the evidence that the market may be suffering, the Government should not press ahead with these potentially damaging measures. Although the downturn cannot be attributed to a single factor—I am being fair—visa changes are still the most commonly cited reason for recruitment difficulties this year. It is always good on Report to go back to read what was said in Committee. Once again, the Minister has certainly admitted that attention needs to be given to illegal overstaying as a result of a leave to remain refusal being communicated after the original leave has expired. That is very welcome. However, he has not addressed concerns about the fact that the appeal against removal will not be exercisable in the UK. He has not adequately explained why he thinks it acceptable that students who find that they need to stay for an extra couple of weeks—for example, to attend graduation ceremonies—must return to their home countries to appeal against a decision to remove them from the UK, when it is absolutely clear that, in many cases that relate to students, that will result in the individuals missing the occasion for which they require leave to remain in the UK.