To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps his Department is taking to increase the availability of language services professionals including (a) qualified British Sign Language interpreters, (b) cued speech transliterators, (c) speech to text reporters and (d) electronic/manual notetakers. (183722)

The Department recognises the need to ensure the workforce supporting learners is sufficient and capable to support learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The Government are not the employer of language services professionals and therefore the department is not involved in the recruitment or deployment of such staff. We do expect our learning providers to recruit and organise their workforce to meet local circumstances and learner and business needs.

Our delivery partner the Learning and Skills Council, has stated in its strategy for learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, “Learning for Living and Work” (2006) that it is of prime importance to address workforce development. The strategy has identified where gaps in specialist support occur and is working with the sector skills council covering teachers and support staff, Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK) to address these issues. Detailed plans are still under consideration.