§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the proposed cultural representation in Lithuania of(a) France and (b) Germany; and if he will make a statement. [88324]
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§ Mr. HoonThe French Cultural Centre in Vilnius has twenty-four members of staff, fifteen of whom are employed as French language teachers. The Goethe Institute employs six members of staff. We understand there are proposals to begin German language teaching.
The deployment of British Council personnel in the Baltic States is kept constantly under review, in the light of British cultural diplomacy objectives.
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the British Council on their proposed representation in Lithuania; how many staff, of what grades, will be deployed and at what annual cost; and if he will make a statement. [88325]
§ Mr. HoonThe British Council office in Vilnius was opened in 1992. There are seven staff, six of whom are Lithuanian nationals. Under the British Council grading system one is at grade 7, three at grade 9 and three at grade 10. The British Council Director and Deputy Director in the Baltic States, based in Riga, have overall responsibility for Lithuania and visit Vilnius regularly. The annual cost of the British Council's office in Vilnius, including the library, seminar and examination facilities, is £205,000.
FCO officials are in regular contact with the British Council over their representation in the Baltic States, including Lithuania.