Asked by: Lord Johnson of Marylebone (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the employment outcomes of international students who have completed their higher education studies at UK institutions.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department publishes data about international graduates from English higher education providers and colleges who remain in the UK for employment or study one, three, five and ten years after graduating from a first degree in its annual Graduate Outcomes (LEO) publication. Latest available data refer to outcomes in the 2018-19 tax year and are published here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/graduate-outcomes-leo/2018-19.
The department also publishes employment outcomes and earnings for international postgraduates from English higher education institutions in the Graduate Outcomes (LEO): Postgraduate outcomes publication. Latest available data refer to outcomes in the 2018-19 tax year and are published here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/graduate-outcomes-leo-postgraduate-outcomes.
Another important data source that measures the outcomes of graduates from the UK higher education system is the Higher Education Statistics Agency’s Graduate Outcomes survey. This data gives a more rounded picture of graduate destinations than LEO data as it includes those employed or studying overseas. Further information about that survey is available here: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/graduates.
Asked by: Lord Johnson of Marylebone (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which requiring the Office for Students (1) to publish a code of practice governing universities’ use of recruitment agents and sub-agents, and (2) to enforce the code on a ‘comply or explain’ basis as a condition of registration with the Office for Students, would help drive out fraud in international student recruitment and uphold the reputation of higher education in England.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government does not currently have plans to request the Office for Students (OfS) to publish a code of practice governing universities’ use of recruitment agents and sub-agents.
As set out in the International Education Strategy, the government is committed to working with the sector to enhance international student experience with specific actions that aim to make the application process clearer with more accessible information for potential students.
A range of resources are available to higher education (HE) providers working with agents, such as the British Council good practice guidance and the London statement. Both are available here: https://www.britishcouncil.org/education/education-agents/good-practice-guidance-uk-information. The British Universities’ International Liaison Association also supports the professional and personal development of HE staff members with training events, including on the topic of working with agents. This information is available at: https://www.buila.ac.uk/training.
The department is working closely with partners including the OfS and UCAS to prevent, detect and deter fraud within the HE sector.
Asked by: Lord Johnson of Marylebone (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the average (1) earnings, and (2) economic contribution, of international students who have stayed in the UK post-study in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department publishes information about the earnings of international graduates from English higher education (HE) providers and colleges who remain in the UK for employment one, three, five and ten years after graduating from a first degree in its annual Graduate Outcomes (LEO)[1] publication. Latest available data refers to outcomes in the 2018-19 financial year and are published in Table 45 at the following link: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/graduate-outcomes-leo/2018-19.
Table 1 in the attached spreadsheet summarises the earnings outcomes of international first degree graduates from English HE providers and colleges one year after graduation for the past five tax years. Data is only published for the 2014-15 financial year onwards.
The department also publishes employment outcomes and earnings for international postgraduates from English HE institutions in the Graduate Outcomes (LEO): Postgraduate outcomes[2] publication. Table 2 in the attached spreadsheet summarises the outcomes of international level 7 (taught and research) and level 8 postgraduates of English HE institutions, one year after graduation for the past five tax years. Data is only published for the 2014/15 financial year onwards.
The government values the positive, significant economic contribution international students make during and post study. No official numerical estimate is held by the department.
The graduate route provides greater incentives for international students to work in the UK post-study. The linked graduate route’s impact assessment, available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/966659/Graduate_Route_Impact_Assessment.pdf, shows that while on the graduate route, graduates will be able to work and look for work, which is expected to generate income to the Exchequer from direct and indirect tax contributions. This is estimated to lead to a benefit to public finances of between £6.7 and £15.2 billion with a central estimate of £10.7 billion (10-year present value, 2021/22 financial year prices).
[1] https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/graduate-outcomes-leo/2018-19
Asked by: Lord Johnson of Marylebone (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the sectoral breakdown of employment of international students who have stayed in the UK post-study in each of the last 10 years by (1) nationality, and (2) sector of employment.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) collects and publishes data on the outcomes of graduates 15 months after qualifying from higher education in the Graduate Outcomes (GO) survey. This survey is unique in that it collects detailed information from the individual about their employment or further study, which allows HESA to determine the industry and occupation of employment. Further information about the survey is available here: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/graduates.
The survey results include information on the outcomes of graduates who were domiciled overseas prior to study. For those remaining in the UK, the industry and occupation of employment is available in the GO Open Data here: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/graduates/table-19 and https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/graduates/table-22.
Information is available for graduates in academic years 2017/18 and 2018/19. Counts in the tables are of survey respondents rather than all members of graduating cohorts. In 2018/19, the response rate, including partial survey responses, was 51% and 34% for EU and non-EU domiciled graduates respectively. Further statistics can be found here: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/sb260/figure-3. Breakdowns by country of nationality are not published.
Prior to 2017/18, HESA collected data on the outcomes of graduates 6 months after qualifying from higher education in the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey. Data from this survey series are available in HESA’s publication archive, found here: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/publications#destinations-leavers-higher-education.
Though non-EU international graduates were invited to take part in the survey, the level of response was not considered suitable for publication.
Asked by: Lord Johnson of Marylebone (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to update their target of hosting at least 600,000 international students in the UK, and (2) to increase the value of education exports to £35 billion per year by 2030.
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, 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.