§ Sir Peter Hordernasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, from international sources available to him, he will publish the number of students in the United Kingdom, France and West Germany, who, at the age of 17 years, study mathematics, sciences and a foreign language.
§ Mr. Chris PattenThe information requested for France and Germany is not available. In England less than 1 per cent. of A-level school leavers have passes in these three subjects. It is generally believed that the proportion of pupils in post compulsory education studying such combinations is higher in France and West Germany than in the United Kingdom. My right hon. Friend has taken steps to broaden the future curriculum of A-level students with the introduction of AS levels in 1987 for first examination in 1989.