Although there is some dispute over the scale of the problem, there seems no doubt that some young Asian women brought to Bradford from abroad as wives are being deliberately discouraged from learning English.

It has been widely accepted anecdotally for a long time, and now it has been acknowledged by local politicians.

Whether there are many of them, as Keighley MP Ann Cryer claims, or the "tiny number" referred to by Councillor Shamim Akhtar, it is wrong and must stop. All women living in the UK must have the right to learn the common, everyday language of the country. It is vital to their own development as citizens and individuals - which is the reason why, according to Mrs Cryer, their Asian in-laws sometimes seek to deny them that right and keep them repressed.

However, it also helps to keep their children repressed too, denying them the good start they need if they are to make the most of the educational opportunities available to them. According to Mrs Cryer, many children now grow up to school-starting age in homes where not only is no English spoken but also, thanks to the growth of satellite broadcasting from Pakistan, no English is ever heard.

It is small wonder Bradford's primary schools are struggling, as they strive to help these youngsters to learn the basics of English and catch up. It is a job the education authorities should not need to do. As well as a right, all Asian women coming to live in the UK have a duty, for their children's sake, to learn English. And their families have a duty to encourage them to do so.