Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce spending by the civil service on translation into foreign languages, and what guidance has been given on this.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Individual departments are responsible for determining their own requirements for language services and ensuring these deliver good value for money for the taxpayer and a good service.

No specific guidance is issued by the Cabinet Office on this topic. However, the Crown Commercial Service does provide a route to market for language services, including innovative and cost effective solutions. These include options such as Telephone Interpreting, Video Remote Interpreting (VRI/VRS), and advanced technological solutions such as machine translation, all aimed at providing the public sector with solutions that may support improved services delivery and reduce costs.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support local authorities to reduce spending on translation into foreign languages, and whether they have issued any guidance to local authorities on this.

Answered by Lord Khan of Burnley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

As independent bodies who take their own decisions, local authorities are responsible for assessing the need and value for money in delivering any translation services for their residents.

Government recognises that the ability to speak English is key to helping people integrate into life in the UK, as well as supporting people to access education, employment and other opportunities.

We continue to support English language provision in various ways, including through providing £11.5 million for English language courses and employment support for up to 12,500 Ukrainians across the UK through the ‘STEP Ukraine’ programme. Other cohorts supported with similar English Language provision include Hong Kong British Nationals (Overseas) and Afghans arriving in the UK through HMG-led relocation schemes.

More generally, the Department for Education supports adults aged 19+ in England who do not have English as a first language to access English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) provision, via the Adult Skills Fund.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking to improve integration in communities by supporting English language proficiency.

Answered by Lord Khan of Burnley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

As independent bodies who take their own decisions, local authorities are responsible for assessing the need and value for money in delivering any translation services for their residents.

Government recognises that the ability to speak English is key to helping people integrate into life in the UK, as well as supporting people to access education, employment and other opportunities.

We continue to support English language provision in various ways, including through providing £11.5 million for English language courses and employment support for up to 12,500 Ukrainians across the UK through the ‘STEP Ukraine’ programme. Other cohorts supported with similar English Language provision include Hong Kong British Nationals (Overseas) and Afghans arriving in the UK through HMG-led relocation schemes.

More generally, the Department for Education supports adults aged 19+ in England who do not have English as a first language to access English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) provision, via the Adult Skills Fund.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve English language proficiency amongst those with English as a second language.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Education)

Schools are allocated funding through the English as an additional language factor in the national funding formula which they can draw on to support pupils. This directs funding to schools (worth £590 per eligible primary pupil and £1,585 per eligible secondary pupil) based on the number of pupils on roll who are classed as having a first language other than English and who have started in the state-funded education system in England in the last three years. Schools are responsible for ensuring that all pupils can access the full curriculum and have flexibility in how they spend their overall budgets to put appropriate support provision in place. No recent assessment has been made of the adequacy of this approach for pupils with a first language other than English. However, the government will keep the matter under review.

In addition, the government supports adults aged 19 and over in England who are non-native speakers to access English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) provision, funded through the adult skills fund (ASF). Currently, approximately 60% of the ASF is devolved to nine Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) and delegated to the Mayor of London acting through the Greater London Authority. These authorities are responsible for the provision of adult education and allocation of the ASF in their local areas. The Education and Skills Funding Agency is responsible for the remaining ASF in non-devolved areas where colleges and training providers have the freedom and flexibility to determine how they use their ASF to meet the needs of their communities.

In non-devolved skills areas, individuals aged 19 and over, including refugees, those granted humanitarian protection and asylum seekers, can be fully funded or co-funded to study ESOL depending on their employment status and salary, and provided they meet the residency criteria set out in the ASF Funding and Performance Management Rules.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Twycross on 3 December (HL2738), whether the guidance against unnecessary translation of documents into foreign languages in paragraph 44 of Guidance on Diversity and Inclusion and Impartiality Requirements for Civil Servants remains Civil Service policy.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The current version of this guidance published on 14 May 2024 remains in place.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Twycross on 3 December 2024 (HL2738), what is the aggregate value of the Crown Commercial Service framework agreement on translation into foreign languages.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The aggregated value of spend on translation via the Crown Commercial Services language services framework (RM6141) is £5,402,890. (correct as of 10/12/2024).

Found: Altrincham; Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top; Lord Best; Viscount Chandos; Lord Cromwell; Lord Gilbert of Panteg

Found: The Chair); Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top; Lord Best; Viscount Chandos; Lord Cromwell; Lord Gilbert of Panteg

Found: The Chair); Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top; Lord Best; Viscount Chandos; Lord Cromwell; Lord Gilbert of Panteg

Found: Armstrong of Hill Top; Lord Best; Viscount Chandos; Lord Clement- Jones; Lord Cromwell; Lord Gilbert of Panteg

Found: effective ness of self- regulation of online adverts for HFSS products.28 On 30 July 2018, Lord Gilbert of Panteg

The Industry and Regulators Committee has launched an inquiry into skills policy, focusing in particular on apprenticeships and training, and in the context of the skills the UK workforce needs for the future. The inquiry will examine whether the UK’s current systems and policies for apprenticeships and in-work training are working and, if not, how they should be reformed. In doing so, the inquiry will consider the responsibilities of government, employers, training providers, and individuals, and the incentives facing these groups.

No description available