This is a matter for the Scottish Funding Council. I have asked Mark Batho, the Chief Executive to respond.

The information requested is contained in the following table.

Scottish-Domiciled Students Studying for a Qualification in a Modern Language at the Scottish Higher Education Institutions, 2007-08 to 2009-10 (1,2)

Source: Scottish Funding Council (SFC).

Notes:

1. For this table, modern languages excludes the following subject areas: English studies, ancient language studies, Celtic studies, Latin studies, Classical Greek studies, Classical studies and others subject areas covered by linguistics, classics and related subjects.

2. Students might be studying for a qualification in a modern language in combination with other subject(s).

Students studying for a qualification in a combination of subjects are counted as one regardless of how many figures are derived from individual student returns collected by the Higher Education Statistics agency (HESA).

The Scottish Funding Council uses a different standard population to that used by HESA and these figures might differ from any published by HESA.

Figures in this table have been rounded to the nearest five. Zero, one and two have been rounded to zero.

It is not yet known whether UK ministers will allow university tuition fees in England to rise with inflation.

The Scottish Funding Council is in the process of mapping provision across further and higher education, at local, regional and national levels, and will be presenting their findings to the Scottish Government in due course.

Proposals on widening access for universities will be brought forward in a wider package of reforms on post-16 education, as mentioned in my response to S4W-696 on 23 June 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

We will work with local authorities, schools, parents and learners, to develop a new languages model that will increase the opportunities for young people to benefit from learning two additional languages and to develop the confidence and skills that they need to be successful in an increasingly globalised world. This model will have flexibility to enable local authorities and schools to agree the nature and content of language provision for the children and young people in their area, but it is envisaged that languages available would include both European and Asian languages.

Working with the Scottish Funding Council, we will review the balance between fees only and funded places in due course.

Proposals regarding student support will be brought forward in a wider package of reforms on post-16 education, as mentioned in my response to S4W-696 on 23 June 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

We will bring forward legislation about tuition fees for students from the rest of the UK in due course.

The information requested is not held centrally. This is a matter for individual institutions.