§ Ms. Margaret EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list his office's priorities and objectives for the expansion of community-based adult education in Scotland; and what guidance he has issued to Scottish education authorities on the matter;
(2) if he will list his office's priorities and objectives for the expansion of English as a second language provision in Scotland (a) on a community-based adult education programme and (b) as a school-based provision; and what guidance he has issued to Scottish education authorities on this matter.
§ Mr. LangI refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on 7 June to the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell).
As to school-based provision of English as a second language, this remains the responsibility of education authorities to determine in the light of other first language usage. Circular 1178, issued by the Scottish Education Department in January 1989, commends to authorities the practice of using another language in primary schools as a bridge to proficiency in English.