To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what means and on what dates the recent changes affecting the length of student visas issued under the points-based immigration system were communicated to (a) universities, (b) media organisations and (c) others. (268647)

I agreed the change to the policy change on length of student visas under Tier 4 of the points based system on 24 February 2009. On the 25 February I confirmed these changes in writing to my right hon. Friend the Minster for high education and intellectual property and to Baroness Warwick, chief executive of Universities UK.

The principal consultative body with which we engage in the education sector is the Joint Education Taskforce. The taskforce includes universities, further education colleges and independent schools as well as members of the relevant bodies such as UUK, UKCISA, UCAS and many others. Those on the taskforce have agreed to cascade communications to their members and to publish any correspondence from the UK Border Agency on their websites as soon as reasonably practicable.

We presented the policy change on length of student visas to the meeting of the Joint Education Taskforce on 26 February 2009. We also presented updates on the maintenance requirements under Tier 4. A letter was distributed to the taskforce on 27 February confirming the new arrangements and asking members to advise the sector of the changes and to draw attention to the newly-published draft policy guidance on Tier 4 on the UK Border Agency website. The publication of the draft guidance was highlighted by an accompanying news item on the UK Border Agency website.

On 6 March, a further letter was sent to the taskforce to inform them that the guidance for Tier 4 migrants would be published on the UK Border Agency website after the immigration rules were laid in Parliament on 9 March, which they were asked to circulate to their members.

On 10 March, I made a written ministerial statement introducing a statement of changes to the immigration rules (HC314) which was accompanied by an explanatory memorandum. A press release supported this announcement.

Additionally, the final migrant policy guidance for Tier 4 and HC314 itself were published on the website with a supporting news article.

On 31 March, Tier 4 came into effect. This was supported by a press release and updates to the UK Border Agency website on 31 March, as well as an article published on 2 April in The Times Higher Education Supplement. These all referred to the change in length of leave under Tier 4.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which colleges are on the UK Border Agency’s accredited institution list; and if she will make a statement. (269173)

There are at present 1,496 colleges on the Register of Sponsors under Tier 4 of the points-based system. A full list of the establishments is available on the UK Border Agency website which is update twice weekly.