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David Ward MPMember of Parliament for Bradford East@DavidWardMP on Twitter and Facebook |
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Lessons to be learned from Bowling College
July 22, 2011 4:29 PM
Bradford East MP, David Ward, has visited students at Bowling College to discuss concerns about changes to funding for English language courses.
As part of his Autumn Spending Review, the chancellor proposed to cut funding for English for Speakers of Foreign Language (ESOL) courses, except for those actively looking for work.
Mr Ward has criticised the decision to reduce ESOL funding as short-sighted and liable to cost the taxpayer more money than it saves. In a debate in the House of Commons he warned that the plans could seriously damage social cohesion in Bradford, something which Mr Ward said the city could not afford.
Commenting, David Ward said:
"Learning English is an essential part of living in this country and it is in everyone's interests that people should get the support they need to do it. Cutting funding for English language courses is just going to mean spending more on translators in schools and hospitals. This short sighted policy will hurt places like Bradford without saving any money in the long-term.
"It's fair to ask people or employers to fund English courses themselves where they can, but I am particularly concerned about the impact that withdrawing funding will have on women who want to learn English but have responsibilities for families and no personal income. That is why I was keen to visit Bowling College, to attend an ESOL class and hear first hand the change that learning English has made to students' lives.
"I will continue to make the government aware of the impacts that this policy will have in places like Bradford and will push them to ensure that all people living in the UK are able to learn English so that they can speak with their doctor or their children's teacher, and be full and active members of our community."
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