UK immigration restrictions could inadvertently damage future skills in maths and science, areas highly prized by employers, a government select committee has warned.

A “triple whammy” of higher university fees, a lack of student finance and a drop in overseas students has “weakened” the quality of courses, the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee said.

This situation if left unchecked would affect the number of workers with higher level skills in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths) and undermine future economic growth.

The potential problem is due, in part, to the recent tightening of immigration rules, the committee said. It has created the perception that international students are “not welcome” which in turn is starving educational institutions of the funding these students bring to the UK.

The committee has urged the government to take “immediate action” to distinguish between university students and other immigrants in official statistics. This would mean people studying would not count towards net immigration, allowing the government to reconcile its conflicting policies to reduce immigration and expand higher education to promote economic growth.

The committee was also “shocked” by the number of A-Level maths students starting STEM degrees but who lacked the numeracy skills to undertake their studies. It recommended that maths be made compulsory for all students post-16 and called on universities to “toughen up” their maths entry requirements for STEM courses.

A further recommendation included the creation of a body to provide real time data analysis and a commentary of where STEM shortages exist. In response to this information, remedial action could be put in place and students would be told whether the courses they are considering would give them the skills required by employers.

Lord Willis, chairman of the Lords Sub-Committee on Higher Education in STEM Subjects, said: "It is crucial that students entering university to study STEM subjects have the appropriate levels of math skills to begin their courses. We were surprised to hear that many undergraduates have to be given remedial maths lessons when they start university. The government should now make it compulsory for every pupil to study maths beyond 16. This will not only help STEM students but ensure a level of numeracy for everyone that will be increasingly required by employers in the future.

“We also worried that the tightening of immigration controls send out a message that the UK doesn’t welcome international students. Combined with the increases in tuition fees, this risks damaging universities funding base and limiting their ability to offer higher quality STEM courses. The government must take steps to ensure international students are not put off studying here."