§ Mr. CranTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans his Department has to ensure the wider provision of Japanese language courses geared to the needs of United Kingdom exporting industries.
Mr. JacksonThe Government attach a great deal of importance to the need to ensure that provision for the learning of Japanese, as well as other languages, is available to meet the requirements of commerce and industry. As regards the universities, the University Grants Committee has accepted the recommendations of the Parker report and is making additional resources available. In addition, five centres within the network of language export training centres, funded through the Department's professional industrial and commercial updating programme and the MSC, are able to provide training to exporters for the Japanese market and there are plans to enhance the provision. The Department of Education and Science is in consultation with the Department of Trade and Industry on these and related matters.