HL Deb 01 May 1990 vol 518 cc898-900

2.56 p.m.

Lord Rodney asked Her Majesty's Government:

What language qualifications are required by applicants to the foreign service.

Lord Brabazon of Tara

My Lords, no language qualifications are required by applicants to the diplomatic service. The service looks for candidates to show aptitude and interest in learning languages, which are then brought on as necessary with targeted language training.

Lord Rodney

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that Answer, which on the face of it does not seem very satisfactory or reassuring. Can he say a little more about the policy of the Foreign Office and the ability of its members to speak foreign languages? Can he say what procedure they follow to ensure that the majority of our diplomats speak foreign languages?

Lord Brabazon of Tara

My Lords, the reason we do not restrict applicants to the diplomatic service to those who already have a language qualification is twofold. First, it would considerably restrict our recruitment at a time when competition for high quality graduates is intense. Secondly, there is no evidence that language students make better diplomats than non-language students. It is easier to train a recruit who is good in other respects to learn a language than it is to turn someone with a language qualification into a diplomat if he does not have the basic characteristics for diplomacy.

All administrative grade applicants who are successful at the Civil Service selection board are tested for the aptitude to learn languages before attending their final selection board. Once they are accepted into the diplomatic service, there is an intensive programme of language training, depending on where they are to be posted. Approximately 50 per cent. of the administrative grade are given intensive language training for specific postings after their first year or two in the diplomatic service.

Lord Tordoff

My Lords, is it a qualification that those applicants should speak English?

Lord Brabazon of Tara

Certainly, my Lords. I should hope that as they are all graduate entrants they should be fully qualified to speak English.

Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos

My Lords, while accepting the proposition in the first part of the noble Lord's Answer, I should like to ask this question. Will he tell the House the level of graduates in languages that are recruited by the Foreign Office every year, and also what resources are allocated to language training for existing Foreign Office employees?

Lord Brabazon of Tara

My Lords, I can answer both questions. Last year 32 per cent. of administrative grade new entrants had pure language degrees, and a further 5 per cent. had degrees involving languages. With regard to resources allocated to training new staff, as I have said, 50 per cent. of the administrative grade new entrants are given intensive language training for specific postings after their first year or two in the diplomatic service; others receive training at a later stage in their career. All officers are given pre-posting language training as necessary, which involves training in the United Kingdom and may involve immersion training depending on the language and the level the officer is required to reach.

I shall give two examples. Someone being posted to Italy would receive four months' training in Italian in the UK, followed by one month's immersion training in that country. For a more difficult language, such as Chinese or Japanese, he would receive 10 months' training in the United Kingdom followed by 12 months' training in that particular country.

Lord Jenkin of Roding

My Lords, my noble friend mentioned Japanese. Is not the justification for the Foreign Office's sensible policy that he outlined to the House the fact that for many years in our embassy in Tokyo we have had far more fluent Japanese speakers than are to be found in the embassies of any other European country, and, I suspect, of any other country in the world?

Lord Brabazon of Tara

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend for his observation. I know that he takes a close interest in Japanese matters. As I said, new entrants have 10 months' training in the United Kingdom followed by 12 months' training in Japan, providing unique qualifications compared with others.

Baroness Ewart-Biggs

My Lords, can the Minister say whether diplomats' wives are automatically given language training? Is it not important for the wives also to be well versed in the language of the country to which their husbands are accredited?

Lord Brabazon of Tara

My Lords, nowadays we refer to them as spouses, of course. All officers and their spouses are entitled to 100 hours' tuition in the language of the country to which they are to be posted, and also tuition in French, German and Spanish.

Lord Jenkins of Hillhead

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that while it is highly desirable that we should improve our British linguistic qualifications (which, alas, are not high) in my experience by far the most distinguished British diplomat of my generation—judged by posts held and results achieved—was almost as bad a linguist as myself?

Lord Brabazon of Tara

My Lords, without wishing to ask the name of the person to whom the noble Lord refers, there is not much I can say in reply to his question.