§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if the Government intend to improve provision for teaching(a) Spanish and (b) Mandarin at (i) pre-16 and (ii) post-16 level. [62462]
§ Mr. Ivan Lewis[holding answer 18 June 2002]The National Curriculum requires schools to offer at least one of the working languages of the European Union. Only when they have met this requirement may they offer non-European languages.
The Key Stage 3 National Strategy aims to achieve higher standards, good continuity, greater motivation and better learning in all subjects learnt by 11 to 14-year-olds, including modern foreign languages.
The Learning and Skills Council takes account of national, regional and local needs in deciding how to plan and fund all post–16 (excluding HE) modern foreign language learning. It is for individual universities and colleges to decide which subjects and courses they offer students, in the light of student demand.
4WThe Government will publish their national languages strategy in the autumn which will outline their plans for improving the language capability of people of all ages.