Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many non-European Union students came to the United Kingdom (1) in the last year, and (2) in the previous year; what are the numbers for the top 20 countries involved; what bodies advise the Government on the issue of visas for student entry to the United Kingdom; and, what assessment they have made of the operation of the current college inspection system.

The information requested, relating to visas granted, is given in the table below.

[insert table]

The information is based on the latest published Home Office immigration statistics which are available from the Library of the House and on the
Department's website at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-january-to-march-2014

The Government engages with a range of bodies, including the Joint Education Taskforce about the student visa system although they do not formally advise the Government on the issue of visas for student entry to the United Kingdom. The Government works closely with the bodies that inspect colleges, including the Quality Assurance Agency and the Independent Schools Inspectorate but has not made any formal assessment of the operation of the current college inspection system.