(2) on what date his Department first received representations on the legitimacy of Kelvin Business School as an education provider;
(3) on what dates Ministers attended meetings to discuss Kelvin Business School’s removal from the Register of Education and Training Providers.
Border and Immigration Agency (BIA) officers were first tasked to carry out intelligence-led investigation of Kelvin Business School on 14 March 2007 and the inspection took place on 29 March 2007. The nature of the visit was to seek compliance with the immigration rules and all reasonable steps were taken to ensure the principal had an opportunity to demonstrate the college was bona-fide. Since the initial visit to the college the Home Office wrote to the principal seeking additional documentation on 6 June 2007 and subsequently on the 26 June 2007. The principal replied to the both Home Office letters within the 14 day deadline, but on both occasions submitting documentation which did not meet the criteria set out by the Home Office. After the second deadline for submission of documents had passed on the 10 July the Home Office wrote to the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills on 12 July informing DIUS that Kelvin Business School was in breach of the Immigration Rules and should be removed from the Register. This was done on 19 July 2007.
The registration process is one of continual assessment, BIA staff will recommend the removal of colleges found to be in breach of registration criteria. The final decision to remove is one for DIUS to make. The decision to remove Kelvin Business School was clear cut and did not require ministerial discussion.