HL Deb 18 May 1981 vol 420 cc825-6WA
Lord Simon of Glaisdale

asked Her Majesty's Government:

(i) how many people speak English as their first language; (ii) how many people learn English as their second language; (iii) how many people learn English as a third or subsequent language; and (iv) what efforts are made by them directly or indirectly, and at what cost, to teach English to other than those who speak English as a first language.

The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Lord Carrington)

It is estimated that about 300 million people speak English as their mother tongue. Probably another 375 million use it as an additional language, but it is impossible to distinguish between those who use English as a second or third language. The Government's efforts to teach English are carried out through the agency of the British Council and the BBC. In 1980 the British Council taught or helped to teach English directly to over 200,000 students in other countries and had 672 English teaching specialists at work overseas in Government departments, universities and other educational institutions and in the council's own offices. Some 130 of these specialists were provided by the Aid Programme under the Key English Language Teaching scheme in developing countries. The British Council estimate that the cost of this activity was more than £13 million. In addition much of their other work, for example libraries, book promotion work and exchange of persons programmes helps to foster the teaching and use of the English language.

BBC English by Radio and Television teaches millions of learners in more than 100 countries through radio, television, video, films, publications and audio cassettes.

English by Radio is transmitted in English for 30 hours 15 minutes each week. A further 30 hours of English tuition is broadcast each week in the BBC External Services vernacular programmes. Apart from direct broadcasts, English by Radio programmes are also put out by local broadcasting stations in more than 100 countries. The total cost to the grant in aid of these English by Radio activities in 1980–81 was £125,000.

BBC English by Television series are purchased for screening on television and for use on video or film in various institutions in over 100 countries. BBC English by Television is currently self-financing.