To ask the Minister for the Economy, given Northern Ireland's continued access to the European Single Market for goods and that German is the most spoken first language in the European Economic Area, to detail her Department's position on reducing German language courses.

The decision by the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment to withdraw its GCSE and A level German qualifications is a matter for the Department of Education and the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment.

My department’s responsibility is to support demand-led skills provision through the further education sector and wider employment and skills programmes.

My department will continue to work with the Department of Education, further education colleges and industry to help ensure that skills required by employers remain available where there is demonstrated demand.