§ Mr. PawseyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to publish the initial advice of the national curriculum working group for modern foreign languages; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacGregorMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I are publishing today the initial advice of the national curriculum working group for modern foreign languages, together with our letter to the group's chairman, Professor Martin Harris. Copies of the initial advice including the letter have been placed in the Library.
We welcome the progress which the group has made in developing the attainment targets and programmes of study for modern foreign languages in the national curriculum. The proposed structure covers the important aspects of learning a modern foreign language and it should provide a good basis for both developing and raising the linguistic competence of pupils of all abilities during compulsory secondary schooling.
We also welcome the helpful advice which the group has offered on the issues in its terms of reference. We hope that all those concerned with modern foreign languages will now take the opportunity during the consultation period to comment on the group's proposals in order to guide it in its further work. We look forward to receiving the group's final report by the end of July.