HC Deb 06 June 1989 vol 154 cc15-6W
17. Mr. Andrew Mitchell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the state of preparations for the introduction of the national core curriculum.

Mrs. Rumbold

Preparations are well in hand. Statutory orders for mathematics, science and English have been laid; the National Curriculum Council has distributed guidance and training materials free; and LEAs' training programmes, supported by Government specific grants, are under way.

30. Mr. Janner

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement concerning the provision of mother tongue teaching under the national curriculum.

Mrs. Rumbold

My right hon. Friend laid on 19 May the Education (National Curriculum) (Modern Foreign Languages) Order 1989 which specifies those languages eligible to be taught as the national curriculum foundation subject. The order includes the mother tongue languages of some ethnic communities in this country. A school would be able to offer any of these languages towards the national curriculum requirements, provided that it also offered at least one of the European Community working languages. Pupils would choose one modern foreign language from those offered by the school.

38. Mr. George Howarth

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to ensure that teachers are fully prepared to implement the national curriculum in primary schools next term.

Mrs. Rumbold

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Halifax (Mrs. Mahon).

42. Ms. Mowlam

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps his Department is taking to ensure that adequate resources will be available to ensure full access to the national curriculum for children with special educational needs, where appropriate.

Mr. Butcher

The Government are making specific grants available to local education authorities to support the introduction of the national curriculum. In this financial year, there will be support for over £100 million expenditure. It is for authorities to decide how much to spend within this total in order to ensure full access to the national curriculum for children with special educational needs, where appropriate.