asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what discussions his Department has had within the EEC about the EEC proposals for the teaching of a foreign language in all primary or infant schools; and if he will make a statement.
The improved teaching of foreign languages is one aspect of cooperation in education which education Ministers of the European Communities agreed in principle to initiate when they met in Luxembourg in June 1974. The Education Committee which was set up then to investigate ways of implementing this agreement in principle and on which the Commission is represented along with member States has given general consideration to the question of foreign language teaching but has not yet reached conclusions. It will be for the education Ministers to reach decisions on the report of the Committee in due course.