Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the size of the Defence Assistance Fund was in each of the last four years; and whether monies from that Fund are being used to support the Defence Language Training Centre.

The Defence Assistance Fund (DAF) is an internal Ministry of Defence resource used to help to develop and maintain bilateral defence relationships in support of wider UK Government objectives, in line with the International Defence Engagement Strategy published in February 2013. In the current financial year (FY) 2014-15 the DAF totalled £16.558 million. In the preceding three years the totals were as follows: FY2013-14 - £15.635 million; FY2012-13 £12.327million; FY2011-12 - £12.027million

The Defence Culture and Language Centre (DCLC) is funded by the Defence Academy, an element of Joint Forces Command. No direct funding is received from the DAF, but the DAF is used on occasion to fund attendance at DCLC of international students who require English Language Training prior to joining further military training and education in the UK or before returning to their home country to train others.