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Speech in Grand Committee - Thu 27 Oct 2016
Armed Forces: Foreign Language Speakers

"My Lords, I, too, congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Harrison, on securing this debate. I must declare various interests: I am co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Modern Languages, president of the Speak to the Future campaign and vice-president of the Chartered Institute of Linguists.

I want to put …..."
Baroness Coussins - View Speech

View all Baroness Coussins (XB - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Armed Forces: Foreign Language Speakers
Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 05 May 2016
Afghan Interpreters

"My Lords, will the noble Earl acknowledge that, although we have a good redundancy scheme, the trouble is that many hundreds of Afghan interpreters do not qualify for it? If some of them feel so threatened by the Taliban that they are willing to pay traffickers to get them here …..."
Baroness Coussins - View Speech

View all Baroness Coussins (XB - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Afghan Interpreters
Written Question
Afghanistan: Immigration
Friday 11th September 2015

Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Afghan interpreters (1) have applied for, and (2) been granted, relocation to the United Kingdom under the policy regarding intimidation.

Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords

Under Her Majesty's Government's Intimidation Policy for locally employed staff in Afghanistan staff can raise a claim of intimidation and following investigation we provide them with the most appropriate measure to mitigate any risk they may face. This can include security advice, financial support to move location within Afghanistan or relocation to the UK. Under the current policy no local staff have been relocated to the UK, and we have relocated some 30 local staff within Afghanistan.

Written Question
Afghanistan: Immigration
Thursday 10th September 2015

Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Afghan interpreters (1) have already been relocated to the United Kingdom under the post-conflict redundancy scheme, and (2) have had their application approved and are awaiting relocation.

Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords

Over 170 former local staff have already been relocated to the UK under the Ex Gratia Redundancy Scheme along with approximately 400 family members. Over 35 more local staff have had their application approved and been granted a visa, along with their immediate family members and will be relocating to the UK in the near future.

Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 18 Mar 2015
Conflict Zones: Protection of Interpreters and Translators

"

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to protect interpreters and translators working in conflict zones around the world...."
Baroness Coussins - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 18 Mar 2015
Conflict Zones: Protection of Interpreters and Translators

"My Lords, last week’s special service in St Paul’s Cathedral marked the end of the conflict in Afghanistan and rightly paid tribute to the troops who had given service, and in many cases their lives, for this country. I was not there myself and I may be wrong—indeed, I would …..."
Baroness Coussins - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 02 Dec 2014
Afghanistan: Interpreters

"

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Afghan interpreters have applied for relocation to the United Kingdom; and by when their applications will be decided and relocation completed...."
Baroness Coussins - View Speech

View all Baroness Coussins (XB - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Afghanistan: Interpreters
Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 02 Dec 2014
Afghanistan: Interpreters

"My Lords, I pay tribute to all the Afghan interpreters who have provided our Armed Forces with a vital service at great personal risk. The numbers quoted by the Minister are encouraging but the pace of the paperwork seems alarmingly slow. Can the Government not find urgent extra resources so …..."
Baroness Coussins - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 24 Jul 2014
Asylum: Afghanistan Interpreters

"My Lords, would Her Majesty’s Government be prepared to review and widen the dates that restrict eligibility for the scheme if it emerges that there is evidence after the withdrawal of troops that interpreters who worked for us before the current cut-off dates are being threatened by the Taliban?..."
Baroness Coussins - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 10 Dec 2013
Afghanistan: Interpreters

"

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Astor of Hever on 4 November (WA 1), how they will implement the “intimidation policy route” in respect of locally employed interpreters and translators who have worked with British armed forces in Afghanistan but are not eligible for …..."
Baroness Coussins - View Speech

View all Baroness Coussins (XB - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Afghanistan: Interpreters