MP Pushes Government for Better Safety of Foreign Language Students

2.02.30pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 27th Mar 2006

Adrian Sanders, MP for Torbay, has written to Ruth Kelly at the Department of Education and Skills to urge her to take into consideration host families recruited by language schools.

The Bill will provide for the vetting of anyone working with under-18s in the UK including private tutors and nannies. The legislation will also automatically ban anybody on the sex-offenders register from working with children.

Adrian Sanders said;

"I have asked the Minister to clarify exactly who will be covered in this Bill and whether some definitions will include host families to foreign language students.

"The Bill proposes that only people who receive a wage for working with youngsters will be included. Only a small stretch of this interpretation would mean that host families, who currently receive expenses, would be included and the safety of many students secured."

Around 12,000 students from overseas come to Torbay each summer to study English.

Adrian added,

"This Bill poses an excellent opportunity to close a worrying loophole in existing provision and safeguard overseas students."