In light of my support of the campaign to save our community language services, this week I tabled an Early Day Motion in Parliament (EDM #210) stating that:
“this House notes that community language services help provide young people with an understanding of their first language and culture, raise educational attainment, celebrate diversity and linguistic plurality, and promote social cohesion across communities; is concerned that, at a time when many are worried about knife crime, radicalisation and the lack of a sense of belonging that many young people feel, these services are being cut and privatised; regrets that local government and the vital public services they provide have been undermined by Government cuts, leading to the loss of key services, such as community language services; and calls on the Government to ensure that the local and public provision of community language services is free at the point of use.”