Ministers ‘ignored warnings’ on student visa costs

A critical report published today by the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee has questioned why an impact assessment looking at the effects of the tightening of the visa system was not published until after the policy had been announced.

The assessment found the reforms could cost the economy £3.6bn in a “worst-case scenario” through lost tuition fee and visa fee income, and a drop in students and their dependants able to come to the UK.

The number of international students coming to the UK will be cut as part of the Government’s drive to bring an end to “unchecked migration”.

The cross-party committee of MPs’ note how the Government held a consultation on its proposals to change the student visa system earlier this year, announcing changes to the rules on March 22. But the impact assessment was not published until June 13 –12 weeks later.

“Given the significance of the higher education sector to the UK economy and the need to boost international confidence, if UK universities are to be able to continue to recruit the brightest and the best it is exceptionally important that policy in this area is seen to be carefully considered and evidence-based,” today’s report says.

Committee chairman Keith Vaz MP 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.”

Mr Vaz said the committee welcomed the Government’s commitment to tackle flaws in the immigration system. Earlier this year the Yorkshire Post revealed that several universities in the region feared that a tougher English language test being proposed would prevent some students from sitting foundation years and English language courses in Yorkshire as a route into doing a full degree.