asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is her estimate of the decline in the numbers of overseas students in the United Kingdom in the academic year 1977–78 compared with 1976–77.

I expect numbers to be about the same in both years.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will publish the numbers and proportions of students on degree and advanced engineering and technology courses who come from overseas countries.

The latest available information, which relates to 1975–76, is that there were 9,365 students, of whom 26 per cent. were from overseas, on full-time and sandwich degree courses at universities in Great Britain and 5,855, of whom 24 per cent. were from overseas, on degree and other advanced courses at further education colleges in England and Wales.