Languages: Education

Foreign and Commonwealth Office written question – answered at on 30 October 2014.

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Photo of Kevan Jones Kevan Jones Shadow Minister (Defence)

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much his Department spent on language training in each year since 2010.

Photo of Tobias Ellwood Tobias Ellwood The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

Following the closure of the language centre under the previous Government, the former Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right Hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks.) (Mr Hague), restablished one in 2013. Fulltime language training (FTLT) is provided for all officers going overseas where the ability to communicate effectively in another language is considered essential to meet the requirements of their role. Training is provided to either C1 operational level or C2 Extensive level depending on the job requirements. The FCO also provides language training to A2 Confidence level to staff and their spouses/partners being posted overseas into non speaker roles. In 2012 the FCO also introduced a developmental language training programme to enable all staff to learn a new language or maintain existing language skills. The table below summarises the annual spend on all three language training programmes since 2010. Essential fulltime language training includes a period of training overseas. Research has shown that the experience of immersing themselves in a new language and culture makes a huge difference to students’ learning and their future effectiveness in their job. The associated costs of immersion are shown in Row B. Financial Year 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 (forecast) A: Language Training costs only 2,034,609 2,231,436 2,350,730 2,999,781 3,223,107 3,242,509 B: Associated costs (e.g. travel, accommodation etc) 418,964 772,472 626,807 385,895 682,257 782,720 C: Total spend 2,453,573 3,003,908 2,977,537 3,385,676 3,905,364 4,025,229

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