Asked by: Lord Johnson of Marylebone (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to Higher Education Statistics Agency data published on 25 January showing that their International Education Strategy target to increase the number of international higher education students in the UK to 600,000 per year has been met a decade ahead of schedule, what assessment they have made of the level of their global ambitions for the UK education sector.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
As set out in the government’s International Education Strategy, we are committed to growing the value of education exports with two key ambitions to achieve by 2030: increasing education exports to £35 billion per year, and hosting at least 600,000 international higher education students in the UK per year.
We are making good progress against these ambitions. In 2019, total UK revenue from education related exports and transnational education activity was estimated to be £25.2 billion, an increase of 8.1% since 2018 in current prices. The ambition for international students was met for the first time in the academic year 2020/21 with 605,130 international students studying in the UK.
Promoting and sustaining the growth of education exports and international student numbers remains a priority for this government. We have committed to review progress regularly against the strategy and we will keep the strategy and its ambitions under review.
Asked by: Lord Johnson of Marylebone (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to work with the education sector "to enhance the evidence base on international graduate outcomes and to monitor the UK’s comparative position with respect to international student recruitment and the international student experience", further to Action 5 of their International Education Strategy.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
As set out in government’s International Education Strategy (IES), we are committed to growing the value of education exports with two key ambitions to achieve by 2030: increasing education exports to £35 billion per year, and hosting at least 600,000 international higher education students in the UK per year.
We are making good progress against these ambitions. For example, the international students ambition was met for the first time in the academic year 2020/21 with 605,130 international students studying in the UK.
The government continues to work with the sector to enhance international student experience, from application to employment, as well as promoting and sustaining the growth of education exports and international student numbers. The actions set out in strategy include items relating to the student application process, graduate outcomes and employability, academic experience for international students and alternative student finance opportunities. We have committed to review progress regularly against the IES and its ambitions.
Asked by: Lord Johnson of Marylebone (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what regulatory measures the Office for Students is taking to encourage universities to focus as much on the completion, attainment and progression outcomes of international students, as those of domestic students.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Office for Students (OfS) published consultations on improving the quality of higher education (HE) in England on 20 January and set out in detail the numerical thresholds which will underpin minimum acceptable student outcomes.
International students studying at English HE providers are included in the proposed student outcome measures on continuation and completion rates. If the proposals are adopted, the performance of international students studying at registered higher education providers in England will be considered as part of the OfS’ regulatory assessments. The OfS is not proposing at this stage to include international students in the measures on progression to graduate employment or further study owing to the continuing difficulty in securing a high response rate in surveys for this subset of graduates.
Our HE sector is world class but, in line with the government’s manifesto commitment, we are taking serious steps with the OfS to drive up the quality of HE across the sector and to tackle the unacceptable pockets of poor-quality provision which do not offer value for money for the taxpayer or students.
Universities and colleges not meeting these minimum expectations will face investigation and consideration of whether they are in breach of their registration conditions, which could lead to sanctions, including fines and reduced access to student finance. These minimum levels are just one factor the OfS will consider. As is currently the case, and as described in the consultation document, the OfS will continue to consider a provider’s wider context, including its student characteristics, before making any final decisions on compliance with registration conditions.
This government believes that every student, regardless of background, deserves quality and transparency from their university or provider about their course. These measures are about tackling low quality, and, through the revised Teaching and Excellence Framework, rewarding high quality, and ensuring transparency which, overall, will maintain confidence in our HE sector.
Asked by: Lord Johnson of Marylebone (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure that greater numbers of insurance cases are resolved before they reach court proceedings.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The vast majority of claims against insurers in the civil justice system settle before court proceedings stage, as reflected in the statistics published by the Compensation Recovery Unit.
Settlements are a matter for the parties to an individual dispute to reach agreement on, but the Government seeks to promote pre-court settlement – for example by the development of pre-action protocols.
In terms of road traffic accident related personal injury claims under £5,000, the Government is introducing a new IT Platform, in April 2020, which will enable such claimants to communicate effectively with the at-fault insurer to efficiently progress and settle their claim during the pre-action stage without the need for court proceedings.
Asked by: Lord Johnson of Marylebone (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to establish an ombudsman with legal powers to enforce decisions on third party personal injury claims before court proceedings are initiated.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government has no plans to bring forward such proposals.
It is for parties to personal injury claims to resolve their differences in the first instance, making use of pre-action protocols which put in place procedures designed to encourage earlier resolution of disputes.
Currently there is a portal for lower value road traffic accident (RTA), public liability and employer liability claims which assists in achieving settlement of disputes. In addition, the Government is introducing a new IT Platform, in April 2020, which will enable RTA claimants to communicate effectively with the at-fault insurer to progress and settle their claim during the pre-action stage.
Where disputes cannot be resolved by these means, the claimant has the option to pursue court proceedings.
Asked by: Lord Johnson of Marylebone (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he has taken to ensure the accuracy of information provided to his Department by HMRC on the 2019 Loan Charge.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Treasury has worked very closely with HMRC throughout the development of the policy. Officials in both departments work within the framework of the Civil Service Code, which sets out the standards of behaviour, including objectivity and honesty, by which Civil Servants must abide. The code is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-code/the-civil-service-code.
More details on the tax policy making process are available here: https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130102201052/http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/junebudget_tax_policy_making.pdf.
Asked by: Lord Johnson of Marylebone (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he has taken to make sure that adequate interim payments to third parties are made promptly by insurance companies after those companies have accepted liability.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The FCA is an independent body responsible for regulating and supervising the financial services industry. It sets the conduct standards required of insurance firms in relation to their business.
The FCA’s rules require insurers to handle claims fairly and promptly; provide reasonable guidance to help a policyholder make a claim, and appropriate information on its progress; not reject a claim unreasonably; and settle claims promptly once settlement terms are agreed. It is important that insurers treat customers fairly and the Government supports the FCA in carrying out its responsibilities.
Asked by: Lord Johnson of Marylebone (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to stop insurance companies delaying interim payments to third parties to take advantage of potential changes to the Ogden discount rate.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The FCA is an independent body responsible for regulating and supervising the financial services industry. It sets the conduct standards required of insurance firms in relation to their business.
The FCA’s rules require insurers to handle claims fairly and promptly; provide reasonable guidance to help a policyholder make a claim, and appropriate information on its progress; not reject a claim unreasonably; and settle claims promptly once settlement terms are agreed. It is important that insurers treat customers fairly and the Government supports the FCA in carrying out its responsibilities.
Asked by: Lord Johnson of Marylebone (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to introduce a legally binding code of conduct for insurance companies to protect (a) defendants and (b) claimants from the start of a third party claim to the final settlement.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The FCA is an independent body responsible for regulating and supervising the financial services industry. It sets the conduct standards required of insurance firms in relation to their business.
The FCA’s rules require insurers to handle claims fairly and promptly; provide reasonable guidance to help a policyholder make a claim, and appropriate information on its progress; not reject a claim unreasonably; and settle claims promptly once settlement terms are agreed. It is important that insurers treat customers fairly and the Government supports the FCA in carrying out its responsibilities.
Asked by: Lord Johnson of Marylebone (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will immediately implement Delay Repay 15 compensation on the South Eastern franchise.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Delay Repay from 15 minutes (DR15) will be implemented when the new SouthEastern franchise starts.