Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :

To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what support is available to support new House of Lords and bicameral staff to learn English.

The House of Lords Administration has partnered with the House of Commons to offer an English Language course to staff of both Houses and bicameral staff. The programme is provided by West London College and runs for 13 weeks, from 10 January 2020 to 3 April 2020. The Administration has marketed this course to staff in Property and Office and Catering & Retail Services where there is high representation of people for whom English is not their first language. Depending on evaluation of the course, it may run again in 2020.