HC Deb 02 February 1999 vol 324 cc595-7W
Mr. McNamara

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many and what

Language group Cluster/rank Size Economic diversity In-migration Core-periphery Heartland
German—New Belgium A/1 68,000 High Low Core No
Luxembourgish A/2 350,000 High High Core Yes
Catalan A/2 4,065,000 High High Core Yes
German (It) A/4 290,000 Medium Low Semi No
Galician B/5 2,420,000 Medium Low Periphery Yes
German (Fr) B/6 1,800,000 High Medium Core No
Catalan (Valencia) B/6 1,909,000 High High Semi No
Basque (BAC) B/6 544,000 High High Semi Yes
Ladin B/6 56,000 Low Low Periphery Yes
Occitan (Sp) B/10 3,700 Low Low Periphery No
Welsh B/10 508,000 High High Semi Yes
Catalan (Is Balearic) B/12 428,000 Medium High Semi No
Irish C/13 1,095,000 High Low Periphery Yes
Gaelic C/13 59,000 Low Low Periphery Yes
Frisian C/13 400,000 High High Semi Yes
Slovenian C/13 85,000 Medium High Semi No
Frilulan C/13 400,000 Medium Medium Semi Yes
Sorbian C/18 50,000 Low High Periphery Yes
Danish (Ger) C/18 25,000 Low Low Semi No
French (It) C18 50,000 Medium High Semi No
Basque (Navare) C/18 53,000 Medium Low Semi No
German (Denmark) C/22 15–20,000 Low Low Semi No
Catalan (Aragon) C/24 48,000 Low Low Periphery No
Catalan (Fr) C/24 150,000 Medium High Semi No
Turkish C/24 1100,000 Low Low Periphery No
Basque (Fr) D/26 86,000 Medium High Semi No
Corsican D/26 125,000 Medium High Periphery Yes
Catalan (It) D/28 15,000 Medium High Periphery No
Occitan (It) D/28 35–80,000 Low Low Periphery No
German (Old Belg.) D/30 42,000 Medium Low Semi No
Occitan D/30 2,100,000 High Medium Semi Yes
Breton D/30 180–250,000 Medium Low Semi Yes
Albanian (It) D/30 80–135,000 Low Low Periphery No
Mirandes E/34 15,000 Low Low Periphery No
N. Frisian E/35 9,000 Medium Medium Semi No
Croatian (It) E/35 1,700 Medium Medium Semi No
Irish (UK) E/37 142,000 Medium Low Periphery No
Berber E/38 25,000 Medium Low Periphery No
Slavo-Macedonian E/38 175,000 Low Low Periphery No
Dutch (Fr) E/38 20–40,000 Medium Low Core No
Bulgarian E/38 130,000 Low Low Periphery No
E. Frisian E/42 2,000 Medium Low Semi No
Sardinian E/42 1,300,000 Medium Medium Periphery Yes
Portuguese (Sp) E/44 3,600 Low Low Periphery No

percentage of EU citizens speak English as their first language; and how many and what percentage of EU citizens have been taught or have an elementary command of the English language. [67431]

Ms Quin

According to the Eurobarometer survey, in November 1995 approximately 16–17 per cent. of EU citizens regarded English as their mother tongue. The same survey also shows that one EU citizen in three (of those who do not class English as their mother tongue) regarded themselves as able to hold a conversation in English. EUROSTAT's 1997 figures on foreign language teaching in the EU show that 26 per cent. of pupils in primary education and 90 per cent. of pupils in secondary school were taught English.

Mr. McNamara

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the recognised and minority languages of the EU in order of their estimated number of speakers. [67432]

Ms Quin

There is no system for formally recognising languages within the EU, beyond the 12 languages used for official business. A report prepared for the European Commission identified over 30 minority languages spoken within the EU. These are:

Language group Cluster/rank Size Economic diversity In-migration Core-periphery Heartland
Albanian (Gr) E/44 180,000 Low Low Periphery No
Aroumanian E/44 150,000 Low Low Periphery No
Cornish E/47 1,000 Medium High Semi Yes
Greek (It) E/47 7,500 Low Low Periphery No
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