asked the Minister of Education why more Austrian, Belgian and Swiss assistants are not employed in English schools.

We take all the candidates put forward, and the authorities know that we would gladly take more. In spite of the small numbers from these particular countries, however, the total number of foreign language assistants in our schools is growing each year.

The obvious places to get assistants from are these three countries. Cannot the right hon. Gentleman do something through our embassies to encourage recruitment there? Our local education authorities want as many as they can get.

I have made known to the authorities concerned that an increase would be welcome. The Austrians have told me that it would make the matter easier for them if their assistants were allowed to return home at the end of June instead of at the end of the school year in July. I am considering allowing this.

It seems—and I am only surmising this—that in the three countries concerned it is not at present part of the accepted pattern for students of English to spend a year in Britain during or immediately after their university course. I am considering practical ways of getting more assistants from all these three countries.