Straw: Asian women need to learn English

The Leader of the Commons said an immigration procedure that necessitated speaking the language was "one of the things we should be looking at" to foster Asian women's integration into wider society.

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It is a bold statement from Mr Straw, who only last autumn waded into the debate over whether Muslim women should wear the veil by revealing that he asks his constituents in Blackburn to remove full-face veils during meetings.

Mr Straw's statement is the second call from Government sources in quick succession to abandon the seemingly discredited policy of multiculturalism, whereby immigrant communities are encouraged to pursue separate development.

Last month, Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly's Commission on Integration and Cohesion said that men or women arriving in Britain as spouses of those already here should be tested on their mastery of the language.

Mr Straw told a conference in Blackburn: "One of the things we should be looking at is the subject of Asian women speaking English and whether we need to engage them and require them to speak English before they are given a settlement visa."

Mr Straw also singled out Muslims as a group isolated from the rest of society compared with other immigrants. He said: "There is a big cultural divide between Muslims and the rest of us, more than, say, with the Afro-Caribbean community."

Blackburn councillor Yusuf Jan-Virmani welcomed Mr Straw's comments, but warned against singling out Asian women.

He said: "I support doing something about it because it is important that people can speak the language when they go to the doctor or go shopping.

"There is an issue with people coming from India and Pakistan, but we also have Poles not speaking English.

"They all should learn our language before they come."

Mr Straw's critics said the Government should do more to provide English teaching for those who speak other languages.

Anjum Anwar, of the Lancashire Council of Mosques, said: "Of course Jack wants everyone to learn English, but the Government is about to demolish funding for English classes.

"It's all very well demanding something from the public but not supporting them."