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To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans her Department has to increase the number of languages available on the the universal credit online portal.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans her Department has to increase the number of languages available on the the universal credit online portal.
There are not currently any plans to increase the number of languages available on the online portal above English and Welsh.
When we need to communicate with a claimant who cannot communicate adequately in English or Welsh we use interpreters: this can be a customer’s own interpreter; a local community based interpreting service; a telephone interpretation service or a contracted face to face interpretation service.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that teaching and learning of modern foreign languages as part of EBacc is promoted and protected.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that teaching and learning of modern foreign languages as part of EBacc is promoted and protected.
The Department introduced the EBacc performance measure to halt the decline in the number of pupils taking GCSEs in languages. The reformed National Curriculum now makes it compulsory for pupils in maintained schools to be taught a foreign language at Key Stage 2. The proportion of GCSE entries from pupils in state-funded schools in a modern foreign language (MFL) has increased from 40% in 2010 to 46% in 2018.
The Department offers generous financial incentives for teaching languages, including scholarships in modern languages worth £28,000, and tax-free bursaries, typically worth up to £26,000, for trainees of MFL initial teacher training.
The Department has announced £4.8 million in funding for a MFL Pedagogy Pilot, appointing lead schools and a centre for excellence, to improve uptake and attainment in languages at Key Stages 3 and 4. The Department is funding a £10 million Mandarin Excellence Programme, with 5,000 pupils on track to reach a high level of fluency in Mandarin by 2020. We have also launched a pilot project for MFL undergraduate mentoring for secondary school pupils to increase take up in the subject.
The Department has also recently published a leaflet[1] (see attachment) for parents, which explains why studying a language, as part of the EBacc, will provide their children with an insight into other cultures, opening the door to travel and employment opportunities.
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/english-baccalaureate-ebacc.
What steps he is taking to support the take-up of foreign languages in schools.
What steps he is taking to support the take-up of foreign languages in schools.
The Government’s ambition is that 90% of pupils will study the EBacc combination of GCSEs, including a foreign language, by 2025. We offer generous financial incentives to recruit more language teachers, and we have introduced the Mandarin excellence programme and modern foreign languages—MFL—teaching hubs to increase languages take-up and to support schools to improve the quality of foreign languages teaching.
The Government’s ambition is that 90% of pupils will study the EBacc combination of GCSEs, including a foreign language, by 2025. We offer generous financial incentives to recruit more language teachers, and we have introduced the Mandarin excellence programme and modern foreign languages—MFL—teaching hubs to increase languages take-up and to support schools to improve the quality of foreign languages teaching.
The Government’s ambition is that 90% of pupils will study the EBacc combination of GCSEs, including a foreign language, by 2025. We offer generous financial incentives to recruit more language teachers, and we have introduced the Mandarin excellence programme and modern foreign languages—MFL—teaching hubs to increase languages take-up and to support schools to improve the quality of foreign languages teaching.
What steps he is taking to support the take-up of foreign languages in schools.
I thank the Minister for his answer. One way to stimulate learning foreign languages in our schools is by using foreign exchange students. Indeed, in my school days, a charming French lady greatly stimulated my knowledge of the language. I am not a member of the governing party in Scotland. I therefore ask whether Her Majesty’s Government will do everything they can to continue using exchange students and to build on that in future.
I thank the Minister for his answer. One way to stimulate learning foreign languages in our schools is by using foreign exchange students. Indeed, in my school days, a charming French lady greatly stimulated my knowledge of the language. I am not a member of the governing party in Scotland. I therefore ask whether Her Majesty’s Government will do everything they can to continue using exchange students and to build on that in future.
The hon. Gentleman makes an important point and I can absolutely confirm that.
The hon. Gentleman makes an important point and I can absolutely confirm that.
The hon. Gentleman makes an important point and I can absolutely confirm that.
I thank the Minister for his answer. One way to stimulate learning foreign languages in our schools is by using foreign exchange students. Indeed, in my school days, a charming French lady greatly stimulated my knowledge of the language. I am not a member of the governing party in Scotland. I therefore ask whether Her Majesty’s Government will do everything they can to continue using exchange students and to build on that in future.
The Europa School in my constituency teaches languages by teaching other subjects in foreign languages. Does my right hon. Friend accept that that is proving popular with parents of all types, including from the UK, and that it is a good model to follow?
The Europa School in my constituency teaches languages by teaching other subjects in foreign languages. Does my right hon. Friend accept that that is proving popular with parents of all types, including from the UK, and that it is a good model to follow?
I share my hon. Friend’s admiration for the Europa School. It teaches the European baccalaureate, which is of a very high standard. The continuation of that qualification will depend on discussions with the European Schools system after the UK leaves the European Union.
I share my hon. Friend’s admiration for the Europa School. It teaches the European baccalaureate, which is of a very high standard. The continuation of that qualification will depend on discussions with the European Schools system after the UK leaves the European Union.
I share my hon. Friend’s admiration for the Europa School. It teaches the European baccalaureate, which is of a very high standard. The continuation of that qualification will depend on discussions with the European Schools system after the UK leaves the European Union.
The Europa School in my constituency teaches languages by teaching other subjects in foreign languages. Does my right hon. Friend accept that that is proving popular with parents of all types, including from the UK, and that it is a good model to follow?
There has been a significant contraction in the post-16 modern languages curriculum as a result of the significant funding cut.
Funding has been frozen since 2013-14. Is it not time to raise the rate so that that curriculum can get back to where it should be?
There has been a significant contraction in the post-16 modern languages curriculum as a result of the significant funding cut.
Funding has been frozen since 2013-14. Is it not time to raise the rate so that that curriculum can get back to where it should be?
To make A-level foreign languages classes viable, we need more sixth formers to opt for the subjects. To raise the uptake of A-level, we first need to increase the number of pupils who take a GCSE in a foreign language, reversing the damage caused by the last Labour Government in 2004, when they downgraded the importance of languages.
To make A-level foreign languages classes viable, we need more sixth formers to opt for the subjects. To raise the uptake of A-level, we first need to increase the number of pupils who take a GCSE in a foreign language, reversing the damage caused by the last Labour Government in 2004, when they downgraded the importance of languages.
To make A-level foreign languages classes viable, we need more sixth formers to opt for the subjects. To raise the uptake of A-level, we first need to increase the number of pupils who take a GCSE in a foreign language, reversing the damage caused by the last Labour Government in 2004, when they downgraded the importance of languages.
There has been a significant contraction in the post-16 modern languages curriculum as a result of the significant funding cut.
Funding has been frozen since 2013-14. Is it not time to raise the rate so that that curriculum can get back to where it should be?
My right hon. Friend may recall that schools used to teach Latin to give a better understanding of English grammar. Does he agree that German, Spanish and Italian give a better understanding of grammar than French? When will we get some teachers of those languages?
My right hon. Friend may recall that schools used to teach Latin to give a better understanding of English grammar. Does he agree that German, Spanish and Italian give a better understanding of grammar than French? When will we get some teachers of those languages?
Of course, we need all those European languages, as well as Mandarin and other languages, to be taught in our secondary schools. Since 2010, there has been an increase from 40% of the cohort taking a GCSE in a foreign language to 46% this year. However, we need to go further, which is why we have the target of 90% studying the EBacc combination of GCSEs by 2025.
Of course, we need all those European languages, as well as Mandarin and other languages, to be taught in our secondary schools. Since 2010, there has been an increase from 40% of the cohort taking a GCSE in a foreign language to 46% this year. However, we need to go further, which is why we have the target of 90% studying the EBacc combination of GCSEs by 2025.
Of course, we need all those European languages, as well as Mandarin and other languages, to be taught in our secondary schools. Since 2010, there has been an increase from 40% of the cohort taking a GCSE in a foreign language to 46% this year. However, we need to go further, which is why we have the target of 90% studying the EBacc combination of GCSEs by 2025.
My right hon. Friend may recall that schools used to teach Latin to give a better understanding of English grammar. Does he agree that German, Spanish and Italian give a better understanding of grammar than French? When will we get some teachers of those languages?
Non, nee and nein are among the European words the Prime Minister has learned this week, but a generation of children is being denied the same opportunity, with nearly 20,000 fewer hours of modern languages taught in secondary schools now compared with 2010. The decline is particularly stark in German and French. Will the Minister commit today to reversing that trend, or is it only the Prime Minister who is being taught a lesson?
Non, nee and nein are among the European words the Prime Minister has learned this week, but a generation of children is being denied the same opportunity, with nearly 20,000 fewer hours of modern languages taught in secondary schools now compared with 2010. The decline is particularly stark in German and French. Will the Minister commit today to reversing that trend, or is it only the Prime Minister who is being taught a lesson?
I must say, it is rich for Opposition Members to criticise the reduction in modern foreign language teaching. It was their Government—the Labour Government, in 2004—who downgraded the importance of foreign languages, and we are trying to reverse that. We have increased the proportion of young people studying a foreign language from 40% in 2010 to 46% this year, and we want to go further.
I must say, it is rich for Opposition Members to criticise the reduction in modern foreign language teaching. It was their Government—the Labour Government, in 2004—who downgraded the importance of foreign languages, and we are trying to reverse that. We have increased the proportion of young people studying a foreign language from 40% in 2010 to 46% this year, and we want to go further.
I must say, it is rich for Opposition Members to criticise the reduction in modern foreign language teaching. It was their Government—the Labour Government, in 2004—who downgraded the importance of foreign languages, and we are trying to reverse that. We have increased the proportion of young people studying a foreign language from 40% in 2010 to 46% this year, and we want to go further.
Non, nee and nein are among the European words the Prime Minister has learned this week, but a generation of children is being denied the same opportunity, with nearly 20,000 fewer hours of modern languages taught in secondary schools now compared with 2010. The decline is particularly stark in German and French. Will the Minister commit today to reversing that trend, or is it only the Prime Minister who is being taught a lesson?
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the next census, due in 2021, will include questions asking about respondents’ (1) main language, and (2) proficiency in English, as was the case in 2011; whether, when using census data to inform public policy, they consider a person’s main language to be the...
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the next census, due in 2021, will include questions asking about respondents’ (1) main language, and (2) proficiency in English, as was the case in 2011; whether, when using census data to inform public policy, they consider a person’s main language to be the...
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Letter from John Pullinger, National Statistician, to The Lord Blunkett, dated 10 December 2018.
Dear Lord Blunkett,
As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am replying to your Parliamentary Question asking whether the next census, due in 2021, will include questions asking about respondents (1) main language, and (2) proficiency in English, as was the case in 2011; whether, when using census data to inform public policy, a person’s main language will be considered to be the (a) first language learnt, or (b) language used most frequently; and how the Office for National Statistics might clarify terms in questions relating to language for the 2021 census, including through associated guidance notes (HL12057).
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) published an update in December last year[1] laying out the latest position on the recommendations for which topics will be included in the 2021 Census. This included our intention to recommend main language and proficiency in English, as was the case in 2011.
In 2011, the guidance notes for the main language question in 2011 read: ‘Your main language is your first or preferred language. It could be the language you were brought up using, the one you feel most comfortable using, the language you use at home, or the one you use most often’.
ONS is finalising its plans for guidance notes (including a definition of the main language) for the 2021 Census and intends to complete this work in 2019. For the 2021 Census, ONS will offer a wide variety of services to provide all respondents with help and assistance to complete their questionnaires.
The 2011 Census was the first to gather information on main languages used and English language proficiency. This followed a programme of research, consultation, testing and analysis[2] to establish the most suitable questions. Data from these questions have been used to identify people for whom English is not their main language and to identify areas where a particular language is in use. This information helps councils and other organisations plan support strategies and monitor the impact of policies. Data have also been used for targeting the delivery of services, such as language support, translation, and study programmes at a local level to promote integration and cohesion within communities, to help eliminate discrimination, and to ensure that people are treated fairly.
The topic consultation[3] held in 2016 ahead of the 2021 Census established there was still a user need for the data produced by these questions. You may be interested to read our topic report on language[4] for more information.
Recommendations on the content and conduct of the 2021 Census are being put forward in a White Paper, which is planned for publication later this year. The final topics and questions to be included in the 2021 Census will be put before Parliament for approval, in the form of a Census Order in 2019 and Regulations in 2020.
Yours sincerely,
John Pullinger
Lords motion to take note of the role of reconciliation in British foreign, defence and international development policy. Agreed to on question.
Lords motion to take note of the role of reconciliation in British foreign, defence and international development policy. Agreed to on question.
My Lords, I am grateful to the usual channels for permitting this debate; to the noble Lord, Lord Collins of Highbury, for responding on behalf of the Opposition; to the noble Lord, Lord Alderdice; and to the Minister, the noble Earl, Lord Howe, for their time and contributions today. My...
My Lords, I am grateful to the usual channels for permitting this debate; to the noble Lord, Lord Collins of Highbury, for responding on behalf of the Opposition; to the noble Lord, Lord Alderdice; and to the Minister, the noble Earl, Lord Howe, for their time and contributions today. My...
My Lords, with a little bit of trepidation and surprise, it is my pleasure to speak after the most reverend Primate. I assure noble Lords that I will keep to a fairly short compass in the matters I am going to refer to. Three or four words that the most...
My Lords, with a little bit of trepidation and surprise, it is my pleasure to speak after the most reverend Primate. I assure noble Lords that I will keep to a fairly short compass in the matters I am going to refer to. Three or four words that the most...
My Lords, it is a privilege to follow the noble Lord. He said he was rather trepidatious about participating in this debate. He had no reason for that, but I certainly do. I can only reassure the most reverend Primate that I am not an expert, and certainly not a...
My Lords, it is a privilege to follow the noble Lord. He said he was rather trepidatious about participating in this debate. He had no reason for that, but I certainly do. I can only reassure the most reverend Primate that I am not an expert, and certainly not a...
My Lords, we should all be extremely grateful to the most reverend Primate—as I certainly am—for having chosen, as the theme for the annual debate on which he leads, a topic which looks outwards to the rest of the world and not inwards, as the national obsession with Brexit tempts...
My Lords, we should all be extremely grateful to the most reverend Primate—as I certainly am—for having chosen, as the theme for the annual debate on which he leads, a topic which looks outwards to the rest of the world and not inwards, as the national obsession with Brexit tempts...