Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which modern foreign languages are available as GCSE and A level qualifications in England; which European languages are not available as GCSE and A level qualifications; and what criteria are used by her Department and awarding bodies in determining whether a language qualification should be offered at GCSE and A level.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
French, German and Spanish are the most widely taught modern foreign languages at GCSE and A level. In addition, qualifications are available in up to 15 languages at GCSE and 15 languages at A level. The table below outlines the languages that are taught at GCSE (or equivalent) level and/or at A level:
Language | GCSE and Equivalent | A level |
Arabic | Yes | Yes |
Bengali | Yes | Yes |
Chinese | Yes | Yes |
French | Yes | Yes |
German | Yes | Yes |
Gujarati | Yes | Yes |
Italian | Yes | Yes |
Japanese | Yes | Yes |
Modern Greek | Yes | Yes |
Modern Hebrew | Yes | Yes |
Persian | Yes | Yes |
Polish | Yes | Yes |
Portuguese | Yes | Yes |
Punjabi | Yes | Yes |
Russian | Yes | Yes |
Spanish | Yes | Yes |
Turkish | Yes | Yes |
Urdu | Yes | Yes |
Decisions about which languages to offer at GCSE in England are taken by the four independent awarding organisations: AQA, OCR, Pearson Edexcel and WJEC. These organisations may develop qualifications based on subject content set by the department. In deciding whether to offer a qualification in a particular language, awarding organisations consider a range of factors, including the cohort size expected to take exams each year (rather than the size of the speaking population), demand from schools and colleges, and the long‑term viability of the qualification.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Answer of 24 March 2025 to Question 39574 on Katharine Birbalsingh, when the final note was shared.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
In line with Cabinet Office guidance on circulating minutes, published under the previous administration, meeting notes should be shared in the days following the meeting. The meeting with Katharine Birbalsingh followed this approach.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reasons the National Vocational Qualification for Pilots was removed in 1999 and what consideration has been made of introducing a new qualification that is not subject to VAT for pilot training.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Decisions around qualifications taken in 1999 were made by a previous government and the department has no further information to add to that made available at the time.
The First Officer Pilot Apprenticeship Standard, developed by industry, was introduced in 2019 with a funding band of £27,000, but is currently paused for starts due to low take-up. While National Vocational Qualifications continue to exist at levels 2 and 3 in certain sectors, the first officer apprenticeship is a level 6 standard. Skills England will keep the standard under review and remain open to lifting the pause should industry present evidence of demand.
VAT policy is the responsibility of His Majesty’s Treasury. The government keeps all taxes under regular review, and any proposals to amend the tax system must be considered in the context of wider public finances.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to respond to Question 120022 from the hon. Member for Twickenham.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The response to this Written Parliamentary Question has been issued.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to respond to Question 121472 from the hon. Member for Newport West and Islwyn.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The responses to these Written Parliamentary Questions have been issued.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to respond to Question 120510 from the hon. Member for North East Hampshire.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The responses to these Written Parliamentary Questions have been issued.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2025 to Question 39574 on Katharine Birbalsingh, when the final note was shared.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will set out (a) which modern foreign languages are currently available as GCSE and A level qualifications in England; (b) which European languages are not currently available as GCSE or A level qualifications; and (c) what criteria are used by her Department and by awarding bodies in determining whether a language qualification should be offered at GCSE and A level.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reasons the National Vocational Qualification for Pilots was removed in 1999 and what consideration has been made of introducing a new qualification that is not subject to VAT for pilot training
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to respond to Question 120365 from the hon. Member for Kingswinford and South Staffordshire.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.