MPs are signing up to an Early Day Motion in support of continued funding for English for Speakers of Other Languages courses - also knows as ESOL.
The WEA, and other adult education providers, run ESOL courses for adults whose first language is not English. Many ESOL students are migrants to the UK, and in some cases have refugee status.
MPs recognise that ESOL courses play an important role on helping UK citizens, refugees and others to integrate positively into society and to contribute to public and economic life.
The Early Day Motion 1706, raised on the 4th April 2011, highlights the concerns of funding cuts to ESOL courses, which will impact many people who are on benefits and need to learn English.
Bob Russell, MP for Colchester and a patron of the WEA, is one of the sponsors for the EDM among five other MPs.
Early Day Motions (or EDMs) allow MPs to draw attention to an event or cause which they support. The more MPs that sign up to an EDM the more likely that the EDM will be debated in the House of Commons.
All EDMs are listed on the Parliament UK website, including the ESOL EDM with a list of supporting MPs. You can check to see if your own MP has signed up, and if he or she has not, and you feel strongly about ESOL, you can ask them to consider supporting the EDM.
For further details about the campaign to protect ESOL courses, you can visit the NATECLA website, which is a professional organisation set up for ESOL teachers and contains a national forum.