§ Mr. DismoreTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support his Department gives to hon. Members to learn foreign languages; and if he will make a statement. [146730]
§ Mr. HainWe welcome any initiatives hon. Members may decide to take to improve their foreign language skills. The FCO maintains a dedicated foreign language training Centre to support the operational requirements of the FCO. The expertise of the centre is available to all Government Departments on a full economic cost recovery basis through FCO Services. Hon. Members will be welcome to use the services of the Diplomatic Service Language Centre in the context of initiatives the Centre is taking to operate in wider markets. The charging basis will be the same. The House of Commons Library has been sent copies of the Centre's Guide to Services.