Student visa plans rushed - MPs

26 July 2011 Last updated at 00:01 GMT Visa cuts: Ministers say there are too many bogus students who are working in the UK MPs have accused the government of rushing plans to curb student visas, saying they could harm the economy.

The Home Affairs Committee said that it was concerned that official figures indicated the restrictions could cost the economy ?3.4bn.

Officials estimate the measures will cut net migration by 230,000 by the end of the current parliament.

Immigration minister Damian Green said the changes were introduced after full and extensive consultation.

Ministers announced earlier this year they would cut the number of students visas as part of their target to bring net immigration down to tens of thousands by the end of the Parliament.

The plan involves tougher English language tests, greater scrutiny of private colleges and restrictions on when students and their dependents can work. Officials estimate that the plans will eventually reduce the number of students by 75,000 a year, down from roughly 250,000 a year at present.

Continue reading the main story Education: ?407m Health: ?339m Crime: ?92m UKBA investigations: ?44m Public services total: ?840m (Source: Home Office; Savings estimated over four years)The government's "impact assessment", an official document detailing the predicted financial effects of the changes, was published 12 weeks after the proposals were revealed.

That document said that the total costs of cutting student numbers could be ?3.5bn, but that would be partially offset by savings of ?1.1bn. MPs said they were concerned the policy was going ahead as planned, despite the potential economic costs.

Keith Vaz, chairman of the home affairs committee, said: "The Home Secretary's dismissal of the impact assessment is very disappointing. The government appears to be not only making policy without adequate immigration statistics, but also ignoring its own evidence. We reiterate the need for an immigration policy which is both evidence-based and does not adversely affect the British economy."

Immigration minister Damian Green said: "The changes were introduced after full and extensive consultation. The extent of the crisis which this government inherited in the immigration system meant that tough early action was necessary."

In a separate report, MPs on the Scottish Affairs Committee said that the student visa changes would "adversely and unduly" affect Scotland.

The Scottish Affairs Committee said: "These proposals will have a disproportionate effect in Scotland, both because of the disproportionate size of the sector in Scotland and as they are primarily designed to address a problem which is largely insignificant in Scotland.

"In doing so, these proposals risk compromising and diminishing not only the high standard of education provided by higher education institutions in Scotland but also threaten the valuable contribution of the international students who study at these institutions, to Scottish society."

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Welsh tuition fee plans rejected

15 June 2011 Last updated at 15:07 GMT Welsh students will not face higher tuition fees Welsh universities' plans to charge students tuition fees of up to ?9,000 a year have been rejected.

Initial fee plans from universities were turned down by the body that funds higher education.

Education Minister Leighton Andrews said it showed Wales was taking a "robust" approach towards university tuition fees.

A Welsh Government subsidy means Welsh students will not face big increases in fees.

If Welsh universities want to charge more than ?4,000 in 2012/13 their fee plans must be approved by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (Hefcw).

Plans will only be agreed if institutions show they meet certain requirements, including on equal access and improving the student experience.

Answering questions in the Senedd on Wednesday, Mr Andrews said Hefcw wrote to all higher education institutions (HEIs) on Friday to tell them that in their present form, their fee plans did not meet the requirements.

Continue reading the main story

We made a commitment in our manifesto... to ensure that Welsh students would not pay higher fees wherever they study, and that is a commitment for the life of this assembly”

End Quote Leighton Andrews Education Minister Mr Andrews said: "In other words all HEIs in Wales have been warned that as currently presented their fee plans would be rejected.

"This demonstrates that the process we are following for fee plans in Wales is far more robust than that operating in England."

Hefcw will receive revised plans at the end of June and make a final decision on 11 July.

Mr Andrews announced last year that Welsh students will be shielded from increased tuition fees, wherever they study in the UK. Their fees, currently around ?3,400, will only rise in line with inflation.

He said the government thought its estimated cost of the policy up to 2016/17 was "robust".

He added: "It is notoriously difficult, let me say, to estimate some of the issues around cross-border flow of students and we are still not certain yet of all of the fee levels at every higher education institution operating in England and Wales.

'Uncertainties'

"So there are always going to be uncertainties around this, but we are confident and we have made a commitment - as a party we made a commitment in our manifesto, one of our pledges - to ensure that Welsh students would not pay higher fees wherever they study, and that is a commitment for the life of this assembly."

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I hope this is not a political stunt that simply allows the minister to hit the headlines, as students cannot afford for politicians to play games with their futures”

End Quote Katie Dalton NUS president Aberystwyth, Cardiff, Bangor, Glamorgan and Newport universities said they wanted to charge the maximum ?9,000. Some courses at Newport would cost ?8,250.

Higher Education Wales, which represents universities, said the fee plans were ambitious proposals to widen access: "No university has ever been under the illusion that the approval of fee plans would be akin to a 'rubber stamp' - this was always going to be a challenging, iterative process".

NUS Wales president Katie Dalton said: "I hope this is not a political stunt that simply allows the minister to hit the headlines, as students cannot afford for politicians to play games with their futures.

"Instead, it needs to send a very clear message to Welsh universities that they have to take this process seriously."

Conservative Angela Burns said: "The minister has put Welsh universities in the impossible situation of either charging the maximum fee or risking severe underfunding compared to universities in England, which can charge higher fees."

Plaid Cymru's Simon Thomas said: "If such large sums are charged there is a serious risk that a university education will be out of reach for many."

He said the Welsh Government's policy was based on universities charging an average ?7,000.

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Teachers strike on academy plans

13 May 2011 Last updated at 07:59 GMT Staff at two Coventry schools are on strike over plans to turn their institutions into academies.

Tile Hill Wood and The Woodlands School are both closed to pupils.

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) said the strike was in protest at a decision to consult to change from maintained schools to academies.

A spokesman said the change posed a threat to the terms and conditions of employment. The Woodlands said its application would not be withdrawn.

'Financial freedom'

While Peter Wall, chairman of the governors at Tile Hill Wood School, said the consultation had been extensive.

Neil Charlton, head teacher at the Woodlands, said: "One of the primary considerations for this school is the financial imperative and because of that I do not intend to withdraw my application under any circumstances."

He said there were a number of reasons for schools to become academies.

He added: "The critical one for this school is the financial freedom by being funded directly from the government as opposed to via the authority.

"We would find ourselves several hundred thousand pounds better off in a year. That's the most significant factor in our decision to apply for academy status."

Academies have greater control over their budgets and can set their own pay and conditions for staff.

Jane Nellist, joint secretary of the Coventry Association of the NUT, said members were unhappy about the plans.

Pay and conditions

She said: "Our members are very angry about the way they are being treated by governors.

"The consultation has been virtually non-existent and some of the claims that are being made are totally distorted, especially around extra money.

"If these changes take place, our members' pay and conditions will be under threat as governors have failed to give any guarantees."

Picket lines were set up at 0730 BST at both schools.

In a letter to staff at Tile Hill Wood, Mr Wall said: "In our view, governors and the school leadership group have been more open and inclusive in communicating and consulting about the academy process than many other schools in the city.

"We have listened carefully to all of the feedback and comments that we received. This was extensive and covered a wide range of topics."

He added: "We have made it clear throughout the process that we have absolutely no intention of changing terms and conditions to the detriment of staff, now or in the future."

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