Media Update ( 3 March 2015) 1) British Academy/ The Guardian: The Case for Language Learning 2) Policy, education and related FCO language skills Foreign Affairs Committee report 27 February FCO facing 'shortfall' in diplomat language skills - MPs Foreign Affairs Committee warns on impact of FCO staff cuts The Foreign Affairs Committee found that "the most striking evidence of a shortfall in proficiency in foreign languages" relates to "regions where there is particular instability and where there is the greatest need for FCO expertise in order to inform policymaking". http://www.civilserviceworld.com/articles/news/fco-facing-shortfall-diplomat-language-skills-mps Also covered in: The Times http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/politics/article4367113.ece The Guardian http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/feb/27/foreign-office-budget-cuts-may-hurtuks-global-position-say-mps BBC News http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-31646908 The Daily Mail http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-2971270/diplomat-languages-weakspot.html Comment in the Guardian: Diplomats language skills can stop wars we must not let them slide Oliver Miles The Independent http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/the-british-government-was-left-inthe-dark-during-the-ukraine-crisis-because-its-diplomats-cant-understand-russian-10075337.html http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/02/foreign-office-language-war-peace-skillsdiplomatic-service Feature in The Economist 28 February Studying languages Shout louder
A woeful approach to language education continues Language policy in Scotland Scotland angers European allies over "failing" language policy Representatives from Germany, Switzerland and Austria have written to Dr Alastair Allan, the minister for learning, warning that current policies to expand language learning may lead to the "ultimate demise" of German in Scottish schools. 4 March Business leaders call for action on languages Business leaders have called for greater efforts to be made to ensure the survival of modern language learning in Scottish schools. CBI Scotland, the Institute of Directors in Scotland and the Scottish Chambers of Commerce said it was essential to the future competitiveness of the Scottish economy that pupils were able to learn a range of languages. 'Nobody in the world speaks French', says Conservative politician Murdo Fraser, Tory MSP, puts Auld Alliance under strain as he says children should be taught a useful language, instead of French http://www.economist.com/news/britain/21645247-woeful-approach-language-education-continuesshout-louder http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/education/scotland-angers-european-allies-over-failinglanguage-policy.119574915 http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/education/business-leaders-call-for-action-onlanguages.119676711 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scotland/scottish-politics/11435110/nobody-in-the-worldspeaks-french-says-conservative-politician.html Welsh Elitism claims over Welsh speakers, says MP Alun Cairns Fluent Welsh speakers need to be more "tolerant and supportive" towards those learning the language, a UK government minister will say. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-31618433
Irish 26 February Fresh division in council over Irish language Nationalist and unionist councillors have once again clashed over the Irish language after a vote in the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council last week. http://ulsterherald.com/2015/02/26/fresh-division-in-council-over-irish-language/ Gaelic Fife councillors want to keep close eye on Gaelic spending Battle lines were drawn over whether Scottish Government efforts to safeguard Gaelic will be a drain on cash-strapped local authority resources or an invaluable opportunity to safeguard the future of a declining language. 3) Business, translation & interpreting 26 February Salesforce goes multilingual for SMEs Small firms with global outlook can enhance customer support. http://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/local/fife/fife-councillors-want-to-keep-close-eye-on-gaelicspending-1.843408 http://www.cbronline.com/news/tech/software/enterprise-apps/salesforce-goes-multilingual-for-smes- 4520922 Gmail available in Burmese, the email's 74th language http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-2969427/gmail-available-burmese-emails-74thlanguage.html 4) Features, research, opinion & interesting articles See Economist feature in Policy above.
Parliamentary business ( 3 March 2015) Commons debates: Ministry of Defence Defence and Security Review (NATO) 4 March British Influence in the World Oral Answers to Questions Foreign and Commonwealth Office http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2015-03-03a.803.6#g803.7 Mark Pawsey Conservative, Rugby: What steps the Government have taken since 2010 to increase British influence around the world. David Lidington The Minister for Europe: Despite the very tight spending environment, this Government have since 2010 opened nine new diplomatic missions in emerging countries and fastgrowing economies and upgraded a further six posts. We have opened an FCO language centre and a diplomatic academy, and shaped the international agenda [ ]. [there is more debate see link above]. Ministry of Defence Defence and Security Review (NATO) http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2015-03-02a.734.0 Rory Stewart Conservative, Penrith and The Border: We will have to respond to very nuanced, ambiguous and unpredictable attacks all the way along an arc between the Baltic and, potentially, Iran. In order to do that, we need to invest very heavily in Russian language expertise, defence engagement, and defence attachés in all those countries. The United States currently has three defence attachés in each Baltic state; we have one defence attaché covering three Baltic states. That is not enough. [ ] Richard Benyon Conservative, Newbury: My hon. Friend the Member for Penrith and The Border, the Chairman of the Select Committee, mentioned a point to do with languages, and it is something that I go on about. I strongly believe that we should make that a virtue in the armed forces, particularly among those who want to acquire staff rank and beyond: they should be rewarded if they master a language, whether that is French, Arabic, Russian or something that we feel we may have need of in the future. There has been a lamentable lack of language skills in the past; we seem to have forgotten about that. To the credit of the Foreign Office, it is now trying to encourage our diplomats to speak many more languages, and we should do so among our armed forces as well. Modern Languages Oral Answers to Questions Education http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2015-03-02a.666.0 Tabled by Nigel Evans MP (a Qualifying Member of the APPG), the debate is worth reading it is short and has interventions from Nick Gibb, Gisela Stuart (also a Qualifying Member of the APPG) and David Heath. Nick Gibb refers to the Economist article (see Policy in Media Update, above). Concludes with:
Nick Gibb The Minister for Schools: I agree with my hon. Friend that that should be possible, and we are doing everything we can to encourage more young people to study a foreign language. The problem is that a decision was taken by the previous Labour Government in 2004 to remove the compulsory nature of taking languages to GCSE, and that has had a devastating effect on the numbers doing so. We have reversed that trend. Westminster Hall debates: Lords debates: Written answers: Training Foreign and Commonwealth Office written question http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2015-02-12.224427.h&s=speaker%3a11437#g224427.r0 Chi Onwurah Shadow Minister (Cabinet Office): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what guidance his Department provides to its managers on how many days training should be made available to staff. Tobias Ellwood The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) does not specify how many days training should be available to staff. We adhere to Civil Service guidelines which recommend that staff should aim to do a minimum of five days training a year, however, the amount of time staff spend participating in both informal learning and formal training events will vary according to their role, profession or personal development needs. The amount of time allocated for language training is calculated spearately depending on the operational requirements of the role. Classics: Education http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2015-02-24.hl5165.h&s=speaker%3a25030#ghl5165.q0 Lord Lexden Conservative: To ask Her Majesty s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that changes to examination qualifications now under discussion do not set back the expansion of classics teaching in maintained schools. Lord Nash Conservative: Our reform programme for GCSE and A levels is intended to ensure they are demanding and more rigorous. We have taken account of a wide range of concerns in ensuring that the final content for ancient language GCSEs provides a suitable preparation for further study. The published content for A and AS levels has been designed to allow the development of new standalone AS qualifications, including for ancient languages, that can be co-taught with the A level. We are supporting secondary schools by funding 500,000 of training for non-specialist teachers of Latin in state schools, which will to help them get to grips with the GCSE standard.
Written Ministerial statements: Public Bill committees: Future business: