HC Deb 15 June 1976 vol 913 c139W
Mr. Hooley

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will propose in the United Nations the appointment of a special commission to study the possibility of adopting a single language for international communication, with a view to encouraging member States to teach this language in their schools as the first language after the mother tongue.

Mr. Luard

I sympathise with the aim underlying this proposal but I regret that I have no reason to believe that the international support necessary for the success of such a proposal would be forthcoming, since most Governments would prefer to avoid a decision which would accord one language a pre-eminent standing in the world with all the political and commercial advantages which that would involve.