Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many officials from the Department for International Trade have received language training at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Language Centre to help prepare them to conduct negotiations leading to future Free Trade Agreements.

Languages are an important element of this Department’s capability needs and the Department continues to encourage its civil servants in the development of their language skills. We will draw on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s in-country diplomatic staff and their language expertise and we currently have twenty four designated language roles overseas. We expect future Free Trade Agreements being considered at this time will be negotiated in English, including with the US, Australia and New Zealand. Where they are not, it is normal practice to make use of professional interpreters.