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1149726

registered interest
date	14/10/2019
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Afghanistan: Interpreters
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Earl Howe on 17 June (HL Deb, col 655), whether the Ministry of Defence review of security clearance procedures for Afghan interpreters who have been relocated to the United Kingdom has been completed; and, if so, what changes have been made to facilitate their employment by NATO.
tabling member printed	Baroness Coussins
uin	HL19
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2019 answer text <p>The review of security clearance policy for interpreters deployed in support of military operations is ongoing and nearing its conclusion. In the interim, requests by interpreters for security clearances are being considered on a case-by-case basis.</p> answering member printed Baroness Goldie question first answered 22/10/2019 15:17:54 answering member 4306 label Biography information for Baroness Goldie
tabling member	3829 label Biography information for Baroness Coussins

1149727

registered interest
date	14/10/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	thebigword
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government when the contract with thebigword to provide interpreting and translation services in the criminal justice system will be reviewed.
tabling member printed	Baroness Coussins
uin	HL20
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2019 answer text <p>The Language Services contracts commenced on 31 October 2016, with thebigword appointed as providers of spoken face to face, telephone and video interpretation as well as translation and transcription services.</p><p> </p><p>The initial term of the contracts is four years with up to three one-year extensions available.</p><p> </p><p>The initial term of the contracts with thebigword is due to expire on 30th October 2020. The first option to extend for one-year has been agreed for translation and transcription services, and has also been approved for spoken face to face, telephone and video interpretation services.</p><p> </p><p>The future of the contract, including the possibility of further extensions, is currently being considered.</p> answering member printed Lord Keen of Elie question first answered 21/10/2019 15:27:36 answering member 4538 label Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie
tabling member	3829 label Biography information for Baroness Coussins

1149728

registered interest
date	14/10/2019
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Afghanistan: Armed Forces
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government when the contract with thebigword to provide interpreting and translation services to the United Kingdom armed forces in Afghanistan will be reviewed.
tabling member printed	Baroness Coussins
uin	HL21
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2019 answer text <p>Joint Forces Command manages the current contract with The Big Word. However, this is being replaced with contract award expected in the first half of next year. Included in the Statement of Requirement - which bidders will quote against - is the new policy relating to threats and intimidation of interpreters in theatre.</p> answering member printed Baroness Goldie question first answered 22/10/2019 15:16:58 answering member 4306 label Biography information for Baroness Goldie
tabling member	3829 label Biography information for Baroness Coussins

1149729

registered interest
date	14/10/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	German Language: Secondary Education
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce a German Excellence Programme, along the lines of the Mandarin Excellence Programme, to boost the take-up of German in state secondary schools.
tabling member printed	Baroness Coussins
uin	HL22
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2019 answer text <p>Following the decision by the previous government in 2004 to make modern foreign languages non-compulsory at Key Stage 4, uptake at GCSE for languages decreased significantly.</p><p> </p><p>We want more pupils to study languages, which unlock huge opportunities in life. That is why we made languages compulsory at Key Stage 2, and included them as part of the English Baccalaureate set of subjects. Under the current government, the decline has reversed and the proportion of pupils taking languages has risen from 40% in 2010 to 47% in 2019.</p><p> </p><p>However, we know there is more to do. That is why we are investing millions of pounds in a range of programmes, including the MFL pedagogy pilot, a digi-mentoring scheme, and the Mandarin Excellence Programme. We will continue to listen to stakeholders and review other ways to improve take up of these important subjects, including but not limited to German.</p> answering member printed Lord Agnew of Oulton grouped question UIN HL142 question first answered 28/10/2019 17:46:27 answering member 4689 label Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton
tabling member	3829 label Biography information for Baroness Coussins

1149730

registered interest
date	14/10/2019
answering body	Department for International Trade
answering dept id	202
answering dept short name	International Trade
answering dept sort name	International Trade
hansard heading	Department for International Trade: Languages
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many officials with relevant foreign language skills are currently employed by the Department for International Trade to work on negotiating free trade agreements for the United Kingdom after Brexit.
tabling member printed	Baroness Coussins
uin	HL23
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2019 answer text <p>Languages are an important element of this Department’s capability needs and the Department continues to encourage its civil servants in the development of their language skills. We draw on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s in-country diplomatic staff and their language expertise. We expect future Free Trade Agreements being considered at this time will be negotiated in English, including with the US, Australia and New Zealand. Where they are not, it is normal practice to make use of professional interpreters.</p><p>We currently have 33 posts which require language skills.</p><p>DIT also promotes opportunities for UK based staff posted overseas (non speaker slots) to learn the language of the country. If a DIT staff member is posted overseas as a non-speaker they can take optional beginners language courses. This extends to the spouse or partner. If they already have a basic level of competency in a foreign language they can also take development classes. These classes are provided through the FCO Diplomatic Academy Language School and easily accessible through DIT digital channels.</p> answering member printed The Earl of Courtown question first answered 29/10/2019 13:21:18 answering member 3359 label Biography information for The Earl of Courtown
tabling member	3829 label Biography information for Baroness Coussins

1149731

registered interest
date	14/10/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Civil Servants: Languages
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many civil servants from each department have taken language courses at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Language Centre over the past 12 months, and in which languages.
tabling member printed	Baroness Coussins
uin	HL24
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2019 answer text <p>​We do not hold data capturing the total number of officers who have participated in developmental language classes at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on an annual basis, but we can provide the number of officers per department, per language who have enrolled in classes this term (Autumn 2019). These overall numbers are similar for the previous two terms this year, although some officers have continued from one term to the next while others have left and been replaced.</p><p> </p><p>The information is captured in the table which is attached due to its size.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 22/10/2019 16:21:47 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon attachment 1 file name HL24 Coussins - ATTACHMENT.docx title HL 24 Table
tabling member	3829 label Biography information for Baroness Coussins