Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will continue to fund the Mandarin Excellence Programme beyond August.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Mandarin Excellence Programme is operating this academic year, and we are developing options for next and subsequent academic years, which we will set out in due course.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to further their commitment in the UK Women, Peace and Security National Action Plan 2023-2027 to support and champion women human rights defenders.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

The UK is unwavering in its commitment to the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, as the Foreign Secretary made clear in last November's 25th anniversary events, and we are looking to refresh the UK WPS National Action Plan this year, to ensure continued international leadership on the issue.

In Colombia, the UK supports human rights defenders and victims through programming and diplomatic engagement, and - following the launch of Colombia's own WPS National Action Plan, which the UK supported - we continue to work with the Colombian Government and civil society to support its implementation. UK funding has helped advance accountability and ensure access to services for thousands of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence in Colombia over the last decade. This includes supporting the Colombian transitional justice system to open the first macro case on sexual violence.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what actions they are taking to promote the protection of women human rights defenders in Colombia, especially those supporting victims of sexual- and gender-based violence.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

The UK is unwavering in its commitment to the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, as the Foreign Secretary made clear in last November's 25th anniversary events, and we are looking to refresh the UK WPS National Action Plan this year, to ensure continued international leadership on the issue.

In Colombia, the UK supports human rights defenders and victims through programming and diplomatic engagement, and - following the launch of Colombia's own WPS National Action Plan, which the UK supported - we continue to work with the Colombian Government and civil society to support its implementation. UK funding has helped advance accountability and ensure access to services for thousands of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence in Colombia over the last decade. This includes supporting the Colombian transitional justice system to open the first macro case on sexual violence.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether higher education institutions are making adequate impact assessments of higher education institutions' proposals to cut and restructure languages provision with due regard to higher education institutions' regional, national and international roles and responsibilities.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The department is aware that some universities are making difficult decisions about their provision. As autonomous institutions, universities are free to choose which courses they deliver. While the government is supportive of language provision, we play no role in the delivery of these specific schemes.

As education is a devolved matter, it would not be appropriate for the government to comment on provision at Scottish universities.

We want to ensure that all children and young people have access to a high-quality language education. In response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review, we set out our commitment to strengthen the languages pipeline, including at A level and degree.

Teacher recruitment in modern languages is kept under review. Incentives, bursaries and training reforms aim to support a sustainable pipeline, recognising that universities play an important but independent role in this.

The government continues to assess national capability needs in security, diplomacy, defence and trade, ensuring language skills requirements are understood across departments.

The department has published our plan for higher education reform through the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, which sets out our ambition for a world leading sector that supplies the skills our labour market needs.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have carried out impact assessments of the closures and restructuring of university language departments, including assessments of (1) the impact of regional 'cold spots' on their ambitions for equal opportunities as described in their White Paper Every Child Achieving and Thriving (CP 1508-I), published on 23 February, (2) the sustainability of teacher recruitment targets in modern languages, and (3) the UK's future capabilities in national security, diplomacy, defence and trade.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The department is aware that some universities are making difficult decisions about their provision. As autonomous institutions, universities are free to choose which courses they deliver. While the government is supportive of language provision, we play no role in the delivery of these specific schemes.

As education is a devolved matter, it would not be appropriate for the government to comment on provision at Scottish universities.

We want to ensure that all children and young people have access to a high-quality language education. In response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review, we set out our commitment to strengthen the languages pipeline, including at A level and degree.

Teacher recruitment in modern languages is kept under review. Incentives, bursaries and training reforms aim to support a sustainable pipeline, recognising that universities play an important but independent role in this.

The government continues to assess national capability needs in security, diplomacy, defence and trade, ensuring language skills requirements are understood across departments.

The department has published our plan for higher education reform through the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, which sets out our ambition for a world leading sector that supplies the skills our labour market needs.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government, in the light of recent departmental closures and restructuring announcements from the Universities of Leicester, Nottingham, Heriot-Watt and Essex, what plans they have to ensure the short-term and long-term sustainability of language degrees in higher education.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The department is aware that some universities are making difficult decisions about their provision. As autonomous institutions, universities are free to choose which courses they deliver. While the government is supportive of language provision, we play no role in the delivery of these specific schemes.

As education is a devolved matter, it would not be appropriate for the government to comment on provision at Scottish universities.

We want to ensure that all children and young people have access to a high-quality language education. In response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review, we set out our commitment to strengthen the languages pipeline, including at A level and degree.

Teacher recruitment in modern languages is kept under review. Incentives, bursaries and training reforms aim to support a sustainable pipeline, recognising that universities play an important but independent role in this.

The government continues to assess national capability needs in security, diplomacy, defence and trade, ensuring language skills requirements are understood across departments.

The department has published our plan for higher education reform through the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, which sets out our ambition for a world leading sector that supplies the skills our labour market needs.

Found: only Select Committee on National Resilience Declarations of interest Members’ interests Baroness Coussins

Found: NATIONAL RESILIENCE Minutes of the 6th Meeting, held at 10.30am on Thursday 26 March Present: Baroness Coussins

Found: Uncorrected oral evidence Thursday 26 March 2026 11.40 am Watch the meeting Members present: Baroness Coussins

Found: Uncorrected oral evidence Thursday 26 March 2026 10.35 am Watch the meeting Members present: Baroness Coussins

Found: NATIONAL RESILIENCE Minutes of the 5th Meeting, held at 10.30am on Thursday 19 March Present: Baroness Coussins

Found: Uncorrected oral evidence Thursday 19 March 2026 10.35 am Watch the meeting Members present: Baroness Coussins

Found: NATIONAL RESILIENCE Minutes of the 4th Meeting, held at 10.30am on Thursday 12 March Present: Baroness Coussins

Found: Uncorrected oral evidence Thursday 12 March 2026 11.35 am Watch the meeting Members present: Baroness Coussins

Found: Uncorrected oral evidence Thursday 12 March 2026 10.30 am Watch the meeting Members present: Baroness Coussins

Found: NATIONAL RESILIENCE Minutes of the 3rd Meeting, held at 10.30am on Thursday 5 March Present: Baroness Coussins

Found: NATIONAL RESILIENCE Minutes of the 2nd Meeting, held at 11.15am on Thursday 26 February Present: Baroness Coussins

Found: NATIONAL RESILIENCE Minutes of the 1st Meeting, held at 10.30am on Thursday 5 February Present: Baroness Coussins

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