Education: Languages

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon Excerpts

Thursday 1st July 2010 Lords Chamber

[Lord Hill of Oareford]

Sadly, my Lords, I do not.

[Baroness Royall of Blaisdon]

My Lords, I warmly welcome the Paris declaration. In response to my noble friend Lord Harrison, the Minister agreed that we need more officials and civil servants who have the requisite language skills so that they can be employed by the EU institutions. I fully agree with that, but can the Minister assure me that the cuts in the Foreign Office budget announced on 29 June will not affect the teaching of languages for civil servants? Without those languages, our people cannot apply to do the concours.

[Lord Hill of Oareford]

I am reliably informed by sources close to the Foreign Office that there will not be any effect of the sort that the noble Baroness might fear.