§ MR. CROMBIE (Kincardineshire)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, with a view to the encouragement of the study of modern languages, he will appoint a Parliamentary or Departmental Committee to inquire whether fuller recognition should be given to these subjects in university scholarships and in the Indian Civil Service, the Navy, and other examina- 69 tions, which mainly determine the curricula of secondary schools.
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR, Manchester, E.)As the hon. Gentleman is probably aware, the Government have no control over the subjects selected for the examination for scholarships in the universities, but no doubt in regard to the other examinations the subjects are chosen with a view to the particular duties which have to be performed, and the importance of the knowledge of foreign languages is recognised by the award of a high rate of marks. I do not think the suggestion of a Committee is at all necessary under the circumstances.