Education and employment secretary David Blunkett this week used his Ashridge lecture to urge business leaders to make full use of the competitive advantage of the English language.
English was "unquestionably" the first global language as well as the language of the internet and of finance, he told his audience at the Institute of Directors.
By the end of the year, 750 million people will have English as a second language - more than speak it as their first language, he added.