(Bloomberg) --
Trade Minister Graham Stuart wrote to parents around the world who send their children to U.K. private schools to reassure them they will be safe when they reopen in September.
The schools have followed government advice to protect children from Covid-19, and any who get sick will have access to National Health Service doctors, Stuart wrote.
The fact a trade minister wrote the letter, rather than someone from the Department for Education, reflects the importance of overseas school pupils to the U.K. economy.
“International students bring huge benefits to the U.K., socially, culturally and economically,” Stuart wrote. “The U.K. government is determined to support the sector.”
There were 28,500 pupils with parents overseas in 2018, according to a report published by the Independent Schools Council. They contributed 580 million pounds ($758 million) to the U.K.'s gross domestic product and supported 14,000 jobs and 150 million pounds in tax revenues, the ISC said.
Those pupils may then be influenced to choose British universities, the ISC said, many of which rely on fees from overseas to fund research and degree programs.
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