§ Mr. BowisTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when the final version of the policy statement on modern languages in the school curriculum will be published.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I have today published the policy statement "Modern Languages in the School Curriculum". Copies have been placed in the Library of the House and are being sent to all local education authorities and secondary schools, and to other interested bodies within and beyond the education service.
The main messages of the policy statement are that pupils should study a modern foreign language throughout compulsory secondary education, and more should continue with a language into the sixth form; there should be a greater diversification of first foreign language provision into languages such as German, Italian, Spanish or Russian; and more emphasis should be placed on communication skills.
The policy statement complements our proposals for a national curriculum, which include a modern foreign language as a foundation subject for all secondary school pupils.