Written question asked by Lord Hammond of Runnymede (Conservative) on Monday, 12 January 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 14 January 2009. It was answered by Sion Simon (Labour) on Monday, 9 February 2009 on behalf of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.

Departmental Languages

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants in his Department received coaching in a foreign language in the last 12 months; what expenditure his Department incurred in providing such coaching; and in what languages such coaching was provided.

Answer: Since 1 January 2008, one Minister in the Department has taken foreign language lessons.For employees in the Department, the Professional Skills for Government framework sets out the skills and expertise needed in their job including the flexibility to specify foreign language skills where that is relevant. Costs for individual training are arranged locally for employees as part of their learning and development, and are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Secondary information