Contributions
2,781 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Overseas Students: English Language TestsIt is important to reflect that overall numbers are up—indeed, they are up 10% in higher education institutions in the last year alone. Of course we want to make sure that the UK…30 Apr 2019HANSARD Overseas Students: English Language TestsAs my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary just said from a sedentary position, “More open”. Those words are included in the immigration White Paper that was published in December…30 Apr 2019HANSARD Overseas Students: English Language TestsIt is really important that this is a matter not simply for the Home Office but for the Foreign Office and for Government Departments across the whole piece. We want to encourage…30 Apr 2019HANSARD Overseas Students: English Language TestsI thank the hon. Lady for that question. At the current time, there have not been any policy decisions that I am aware of with regard to the English language test. However, it is…30 Apr 2019HANSARD Overseas Students: English Language TestsIt is important to reflect that this was a fraud perpetrated in 2014. It is not new. The Government responded then to a systematic fraud, took action and we have seen criminal…30 Apr 2019HANSARD Overseas Students: English Language TestsIt is important to note that there have been a number of legal cases where students have challenged the decision through judicial review and subsequent immigration appeals. Some…30 Apr 2019HANSARD Overseas Students: English Language TestsI certainly would not draw a parallel. This was criminal behaviour and there have been significant sentences imposed on those who were perpetrating the fraud. Indeed, there are…30 Apr 2019HANSARD Overseas Students: English Language TestsI made the point earlier that evidence of ability to speak English now does not provide evidence of ability to speak English back in 2014. What the courts have consistently found…30 Apr 2019HANSARD Migration Advisory CommitteeMy hon. Friend will be aware, from the White Paper and the Government’s proposals, that although we have listened to the MAC, we have not relied exclusively on its opinions. The…30 Apr 2019HANSARD Overseas Students: English Language TestsAs I have said, we are going to wait for the findings of the NAO. However, it is important to confirm that the Home Office is looking at a range of options as to how we can find a…30 Apr 2019HANSARD Overseas Students: English Language TestsUnfortunately, the hon. Lady has not provided any information, and I cannot comment on an individual case on the Floor of the House, but if she cares to write to me about the…30 Apr 2019HANSARD Overseas Students: English Language TestsI gently remind the hon. Gentleman that those who were found to have a questionable result following the ETS investigations were given the opportunity to take a second test to…30 Apr 2019HANSARD Overseas Students: English Language TestsMy hon. Friend is absolutely right to point out the brilliance of UK universities. I would like to point to the increasing numbers of Chinese and Indian students at the university…30 Apr 2019HANSARD Overseas Students: English Language TestsIt would be wrong to prejudge the NAO report, but I would like to reassure the right hon. Lady that Home Office officials have worked closely with the NAO, providing it with…30 Apr 2019HANSARD Overseas Students: English Language TestsAs I mentioned earlier, the licence was revoked in July 2014, and the Home Office moved swiftly to revoke that licence. Action was taken against ETS but, because of the commercial…30 Apr 2019HANSARDEU’s European Travel Information Authorisation SystemThe Government have decided to opt in to the aspect of the draft regulation that establishes the conditions for the access of the European travel information authorisation system…24 Apr 2019HANSARDEU Settlement Scheme: EmailsThe EU settlement scheme is an integral part of protecting the rights of EU citizens who have made their homes here in the UK, giving them an easy way of demonstrating their…11 Apr 2019HANSARD Windrush Compensation SchemeWe have sought to have a scheme that is based on both tariffs and actuals, so that those who cannot provide evidence will be able to go down the tariffs route and not be expected…09 Apr 2019HANSARD Windrush Compensation SchemeAbsolutely, I am happy to give that commitment. The hon. Lady makes an important point about the importance of outreach and of building trust. I am absolutely determined to do…09 Apr 2019HANSARD Windrush Compensation SchemeThe hon. Lady makes an important point about the publicity surrounding events and the importance of doing it in a meaningful way. I am conscious that we have a schedule of events…09 Apr 2019