HC Deb 02 November 1993 vol 231 cc136-7
2. Mr. Ian Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what aspects of the curriculum prepare school children for the opportunities of the single European market.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Further and Higher Education (Mr. Timothy Boswell)

The national curriculum provides for all pupils a broad and balanced education which will equip them with the skills, knowledge and understanding appropriate for adult life and for the world of work within the European Community. The Department has issued informal guidance on how this European dimension can be addressed through individual subjects, particularly modern foreign languages, geography and history.

Mr. Taylor

While education must remain very much the responsibility of national Governments, does my hon. Friend agree that preparing young people for the opportunities and challenges presented by the single market—and also for the needs of companies that now operate on a pan-European scale—requires schools to take more and more children post-16, and to broaden their education by giving it a European dimension? Will my hon. Friend pay tribute to the work of the United Kingdom Centre for European Education in this regard?

Mr. Boswell

I agree very much with my hon. Friend on two counts. First, I approve of his emphasis on the fact that the European dimension must respect the national education systems that must deliver education; secondly, I endorse his praise for the United Kingdom Centre for European Education, where he and I shared a platform this morning. I was able to introduce to the conference, and the consultative process, the Commission's Green Paper, which is designed to set up proper measures for co-operation—but not harmonisation—in European education policies.

Mr. Madden

Does the Minister accept that the teaching of children will be made immensely more difficult in places such as Bradford if section 11 funding, and other funding aimed at tackling deprivation and disadvantage, is reduced? Will he take this opportunity to confirm or deny recent reports that Bradford's section 11 funding is to be substantially reduced?

Mr. Boswell

The hon. Gentleman could take a few lessons in relevance before asking such questions. I have noted what he said, as have my colleagues; I hope, however, that he will remember that there is only one broad pot for education spending, and that any money that is spent for one purpose may not be available for another.

Mr. Quentin Davies

The national curriculum's requirement that every child learn a foreign language undoubtedly represents a major step forward, but is there not a long way to go before our children are as well prepared for business in the single market as children in some other Community countries such as Germany—not to mention Holland and Sweden? Do we not need to invest more in training language teachers, and expanding the range of opportunities for children to learn foreign languages?

Mr. Boswell

Our education system undoubtedly has some strengths—for example, in information technology —but it also has a number of weaknesses. I think that most of us feel that in respect of our performance in modern foreign languages. A strong emphasis has been placed on the issue, and we have discussed it with the Commissioner in the context of his proposed changes to the Lingua programme.