Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Baroness Prentis of Banbury and Justine Greening

Monday 10th October 2016 Commons Chamber

[Justine Greening]

Indeed I am, Mr Speaker. Well spotted.

[Victoria Prentis (Banbury) (Con)]

12. What steps the Government are taking to increase the uptake of languages.

--- Later in debate ---

[Victoria Prentis]

Thank you, Mr Speaker—I cannot tell you how grateful I am not to be excluded this afternoon. Given the importance of China in the global marketplace today, not least to my constituents who work in Bicester shopping village, does my right hon. Friend agree that our children should be taught Chinese in schools?

[Justine Greening]

My hon. Friend is quite right that having more young people learning Chinese is important for the UK’s place in the world; indeed, many employers are looking for more staff who are able to speak Mandarin Chinese. This September, we launched a £10 million Mandarin excellence programme, and hundreds of pupils in England have started intensive lessons in Chinese. By 2020, 5,000 pupils will be working towards a high level of fluency in Mandarin Chinese.