HC Deb 12 December 1988 vol 143 cc438-9W
Mrs. Margaret Ewing

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what plans there are to revise the draft review of staffing standards to include primary school language specialists;

(2) what is the number of primary school language specialists which the Government projects is needed for 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

There are no such plans. Pilot studies on the inclusion of a foreign language in the primary curriculum will start in 1989.

Mrs. Margaret Ewing

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many modern language teachers have been employed in Scottish secondary schools in 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

There were the equivalent of 1,856 full-time teachers of modern languages employed in Scottish secondary schools in 1987. Figures for 1985 and 1986 are not available, while those for 1988 are still being processed.

Mrs. Margaret Ewing

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many modern language teachers have been employed in Scottish primary schools in 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

With the exception of specialist teachers of Gaelic, it is not usual to employ modern language teachers in that capacity in Scottish primary schools. There are some 15 specialist teachers of Gaelic who visit primary schools.

Mrs. Margaret Ewing

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many modern language specialists are in training in Scottish colleges of education or Stirling University for(a) primary education and (b) secondary education.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

There are 45 students training at Scottish colleges of education or at Stirling university to teach modern languages at secondary level. This figure does not include students in colleges of education whose main teaching qualification is not in modern language, but who may be taking a subsidiary teaching qualification in one. There is no separate qualification for specialist modern language teachers in primary schools.