WITH English spoken throughout the majority of the developed world, the traditional assumption that Britons simply don't need to bother learning an additional language is deeply ingrained.

However, with the Government's decision, last September, to allow teenagers to drop French and German at GCSE, the House of Lords European Union Committee is now warning that UK businesses will be severely hampered in the global market place as our language skills fall further behind.

In fact, as the number of British students choosing to study a language decreases each year, the committee is now calling for an urgent review of the way languages are taught, to properly address Britain's deep-seated linguistic deficiency.

The Lords' cautions came in a report on plans to develop the EU's Europe-wide education schemes, including study-abroad programmes such as Erasmus, and moves to improve early language training in UK schools.

The report said: "We conclude that the United Kingdom is already falling badly behind in language-learning capability, and this will seriously limit British ability to take part fully in the new EU programmes.

"In our view, the reduction in compulsory language learning at secondary level will only make matters worse."

Neil Bentley, Confederation of British Industry head of employment and skills, said: "Foreign language skills are very useful for oiling the wheels of international commerce and 70 per cent of employers are disappointed with school leavers' language ability."

John Guyon, director of the international language services company Executive Languages, said: "The reasons why the British feel they don't need to bother learning another language are, firstly, because we are an island, and, secondly, because the Americans, who are the dominant global commercial power, speak English all over the world.

"But the overall attitude towards foreign languages is considerably better now than it was 20 or 30 years ago."

The most relevant and useful language to learn in international business today is Mandarin, followed closely by Spanish, then Arabic and the other main European languages of German and French, and finally Italian.

Mr Guyon added: "I deplore the Government's decision for students to be allowed to opt out of GCSE language studies because learning a foreign language is the most complex intellectual feat you will ever engage in."