HC Deb 17 March 1993 vol 221 cc298-9W
Mr. Beggs

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in each of the last five years how many students at further education colleges in Northern Ireland have(a) sat for the Cambridge first certificate in English examination and how many achieved grade C or above, (b) sat for the Cambridge proficiency in English examination and how many achieved grade C or above and (c) sat for other examinations in English as a foreign language.

Mr. Hanley

Information is available only from 1989. The figures are as follows:

1989 1990 1991 1992
(a) Cambridge first certificate in English examination
Numbers sitting 45 24 29 30
Numbers achieving grade C or above 21 16 18 16
(b) Cambridge proficiency in English examination
Numbers sitting 29 23 12 14
Numbers achieving grade C or above 20 15 8 7

1989 1990 1991 1992
(c) Other Cambridge examinations in English as a foreign language
Numbers sitting 41 65 82 41
Numbers achieving grade C or above 32 55 61 30

Information is not available for students who sat for examinations in English as a foreign language other than those set by Cambridge university.

Mr. Beggs

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many students have enrolled at colleges of further education in Northern Ireland for courses in English as a foreign language in each of the last five years; and how many students were male and how many were female.

Mr. Hanley

The information is as follows:

Males Females Total
1988–89 79 94 173
1989–90 95 127 222
1990–91 58 97 155
1991–92 77 88 165
1992–93 61 104 165

Mr. Beggs

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which further education colleges in Northern Ireland offer courses in English as a foreign language.

Mr. Hanley

Courses in English as a foreign language are currently being offered in Belfast, Omagh, Ballymena, Coleraine, Lisburn, Down, Newcastle, Castlereagh, North Down and Ards, Lurgan and Armagh colleges of further education.