Written question asked by Kevin McNamara (Labour) on Wednesday, 20 January 1999, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 2 February 1999. It was answered by Baroness Quin (Labour) on Tuesday, 2 February 1999 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many and what 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. - Inc figs.

Answer: Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many and what 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.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 67431; 324 c595-6W;324 c651-3W
Session: 1998-99
Subjects: Languages EU nationals English language Public opinion Primary education Secondary education Eurostat
Contains statistics: Yes