HC Deb 17 February 1998 vol 306 c530W
Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many ambassadors speak(a) one, (b) two, (c) three, (d) four and (e) more than four foreign languages. [29740]

Mr. Tony Lloyd

According to information held at February 1998:

  1. (a) four Heads of Missions have competence in one language
  2. (b) 27 Heads of Missions have competence in two languages
  3. (c) 34 Heads of Missions have competence in three languages
  4. (d) 33 Heads of Missions have competence in four languages
  5. (e) 47 Heads of Missions have competence in more than four languages.

Twenty-six have competence in five, 13 have competence in six, three have competence in seven, two have competence in eight, one has competence in nine and one has competence in twelve.

This information is based on a combination of examination passes and self-declarations. During the course of 1998, procedures are being introduced which will make objective testing the only basis for recorded language competence in the FCO.