HC Deb 18 April 1995 vol 258 cc45-6W
Mr. Blunkett

To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what discussions she has had with the Cabinets Home Social Affairs Committee on the report from Coopers and Lybrand on the feasibility of learning credits; and if she will make a statement; [19477]

(2) what plans she has to introduce learning credits for 16 to 19-year-olds; and if she will make a statement. [19442]

teach a foreign language; and which languages are most commonly taught. [19057]

Mr. Forth

The Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research recently carried out a survey, Modern Foreign Languages in Primary Schools, which covered England, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. Fifty three out of 125 local education authorities responded, 48 of those being English authorities. The results showed that some 1,919 primary schools, or 22 per cent. of those in the sample, provided some foreign language tuition. The most commonly taught language was French—1,795 schools—followed by German—67 schools—and Italian—64 schools.