HC Deb 20 October 1994 vol 248 c296W
Mr. Bennett

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many embassy and consulate staff in Kiev speak(a) English as a first language and also Russian, (b) English as a first language and also Ukrainian, (c) English as a first language and also Russian and Ukrainian, (d) Russian as a first language and (e) Ukrainian as a first language; and what percentage speak Ukrainian.

Mr. Goolad

There are 17 United Kingdom-based officers at the British embassy in Kiev; there is no separate consulate. Of these(a) two have a knowledge of English as a first language and Russian; (b) one has a knowledge of English as a first language and Ukrainian; and (c) six have a knowledge of English as a first language and both Russian and Ukrainian.

The remaining eight United Kingdom-based staff are in the support grades and are not given formal language training before they arrive at post.

There are 11 Ukrainian locally engaged staff, all of whom speak English, Russian and Ukrainian. Of the nine United Kingdom-based staff in speaker slots, 77 per cent. have a knowledge of Ukrainian.