HL Deb 08 April 1987 vol 486 cc1107-8WA
Baroness Jeger

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many students are studying Russian to first degree standard in universities and polytechnics; in how many schools Russian is being taught; and whether there has been an increase or decrease over the last five years.

Baroness Hooper

The information is as follows:

Academic year beginning
1981 1982 1983 1984 1985
University undergraduate (Great Britain)
Full-time 405 403 453 522 596
Part-time 3 6 4 2
Total 408 409 457 524 596
Polytechnic first degree Students (England and Wales)
Full-time 43 68 72 69 69
Part-time 32 16 20 15
Total 75 84 92 84 69
* Note: The subject classification for university statistics was changed in 1985 and therefore the figures for 1985 may not be directly comparable with those for preceding years.

The figures cover courses in Russian, Russian and Soviet Studies, Russian for Teachers and combined courses of Russian with French or German. Information on the number of schools in which particular subjects are taught is not collected centrally. However entrants for Russian examinations at A level, O level and CSE were as follows:

Examination entrants England and Wales Russian
1981 1982 1983 1984 1985
A level 384 388 319 311 309
O level 1471 1464 1340 1295 1388
CSE 282 240 194 125 188