§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received on, and what consideration he has given to, the inclusion of Indic languages as modern foreign languages in the national curriculum; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. RumboldI refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Bradford, West (Mr.
554W
Number of Pupils LEA Present Taking paid meals Taking free meals Total taking meals ILEA 240,360 94,519 68,845 163,364 Barking and Dagenham 19,488 5,635 1,979 7,614 Barnet 35,691 18,212 2,858 11,413 Bexley 28,259 7,238 1,671 8,909 Brent n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. Bromley 31,506 10,475 1,794 12,269 Croydon 39,676 14,623 3,332 17,955 Ealing 32,658 10,561 4,162 14,723 Enfield 33,592 10,749 2,770 13,519 Haringey 24,628 8,269 4,800 13,069 Harrow 24,709 11,085 1,156 12,241 Havering 30,913 9,177 1,435 10,562 Hillingdon 26,389 9,776 1,698 11,474 Hounslow 26,741 13,631 2,761 16,392 Kingston-upon-Thames 14,796 5,827 724 6,551 Merton 18,032 4,438 1,208 5,646 Newham 35,185 7,973 6,022 13,995 Redbridge 26,790 10,339 1,576 11,915 Richmond-upon-Thames 14,263 3,548 825 4,373 Sutton 19,896 9,303 906 10,209 Waltham Forest 26,254 8,773 4,266 13,039 Bolton 38,311 14,571 5,870 20,441 Bury 23,935 8,600 2,701 11,301 Manchester n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. Oldham 34,557 11,786 6,614 18,400 Rochdale 32,691 11,931 6,110 18,041 Salford 32,190 11,887 7,749 19,636 Stockport 40,727 13,462 4,089 17,551 Tameside 31,118 12,024 4,697 16,721 Trafford 26,047 9,792 3,382 13,174 Wigan 46,618 15,812 6,243 22,055 Knowsley 22,776 3,113 8,827 11,940 Liverpool n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. St. Helens 27,505 11,198 4,561 15,759 Sefton 38,620 11,184 6,739 17,923 Wirral 49,117 15,360 10,515 25,875 Barnsley 28,872 13,761 4,673 18,434 Doncaster 42,525 21,473 7,735 29,208 Rotherham 37,337 12,757 6,260 19,017 Sheffield 60,406 20,784 11,719 32,503 Gateshead 25,147 9,186 5,121 14,307 Madden) on 23 March, at columns 683–84. Since then, my right hon. Friend has received a number of other representations from hon. Members—including one from the hon. Member—local education authorities, organisations, parents and teachers about the inclusion of Indic languages as modern foreign languages in the national curriculum. We are at present considering the responses received about the proposals during the consultation period.