Questions
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To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Armed Forces personnel are currently undergoing Pashtun language training. [HL2232]
There are 60 personnel currently undergoing higher level Pashto language training. There are also an additional 800 personnel who have undergone or will undergo lower level Pashto training in the current pre-deployment cycle. Higher level training (for professional and expert qualifications) enables trusted translation. Lower level training enables linguists to undertake basic military business in limited scenarios.
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To ask Her Majesty's Government how many trained Pashtun speakers were (a) serving in HM Armed Forces, and (b) serving in HM Armed Forces and deployed to Afghanistan, in each year since 2001. [HL2233]
Trained Pashto speakers serving in HM Armed Forces:
Year Higher Level Lower Level 2001 0 0 2002 0 0 2003 0 10 2004 0 10 2005 0 10 2006 0 50 2007 10 140 2008 30 150 2009 40 720
Trained Pashto speakers serving in HM Armed Forces and deployed to Afghanistan:
Year Higher Level Lower Level 2007 10 50 2008 20 50 2009 30 490
The data for deployed Pashto speakers 2001-06 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Higher level training (for professional and expert qualifications) enables trusted translation. Lower level training enables linguists to undertake basic military business in limited scenarios. The majority of the higher level capability requirement is provided by contractors and locally employed civilians. The number deployed at any one time is half the annual number (six-month tours).
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To ask Her Majesty's Government how many trained Pashtun speakers they expect to be (a) serving in HM Armed Forces, and (b) serving in HM Armed Forces and deployed to Afghanistan, in (1) 2010, (2) 2011, and (3) 2012. [HL2234]
Higher Level Lower Level Higher Level Lower Level 2010 50 1,880 30 approx 1,000 2011 60 3,420 40 1,380 2012 60 4,860 50 1,410
The figures are based on the Headquarters Land Forces model for language and cultural training which, as currently envisaged, will come to maturity by 2012. The figures for the intermediate years are interpolated from the 2009 baseline. The number deployed at any one time will be approximately half the annual number (six-month tours). Higher level training (for professional and expert qualifications) enables trusted translation. Lower level training enables linguists to undertake basic military business in limited scenarios. The majority of the higher level capability requirement is provided by contractors and locally employed civilians.
Pashto speakers not deployed at any one time may be providing UK-based support to operations or recuperating between tours. No service man or woman is trained in Pashto without an expectation of supporting operations in Afghanistan or from the UK.
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To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Armed Forces personnel are undergoing Dari Persian language training. [HL2318]
There are 20 personnel currently undergoing higher level Dari language training. There are an additional 90 personnel who have undergone or will undergo low level Dari language training in the forthcoming training cycle.
Higher level training (for professional and expert qualifications) enables trusted translation. Lower level training enables linguists to undertake basic military business in limited scenarios.
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To ask Her Majesty's Government how many trained Dari Persian speakers were serving in Her Majesty's Armed Forces in each year since 2001; and, of those, how many were deployed in Afghanistan. [HL2319]
Trained Dari speakers serving in HM Armed Forces:
Year Higher Level Lower Level 2001 0 0 2002 0 0 2003 0 0 2004 0 0 2005 0 0 2006 0 10 2007 0 20 2008 fewer than 5 40 2009 fewer than 5 60
Trained Dari speakers serving in HM Armed Forces and deployed to Afghanistan:
Year Higher Level Lower Level 2007 0 0 2008 fewer than 5 10 2009 fewer than 5 30
The data for deployed Dari speakers 2001-06 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Higher level training (for professional and expert qualifications) enables trusted translation. Lower level training enables linguists to undertake basic military business in limited scenarios. The majority of the higher level capability requirement is provided by contractors and locally employed civilians. The number deployed at any one time is half the annual number (six-month tours). 2010 will see the beginning of a significant increase in Dari training to a basic (lower) level.
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To ask Her Majesty's Government how many trained Dari Persian speakers (a) serving in Her Majesty's Armed Forces, and (b) serving in Her Majesty's Armed Forces and deployed to Afghanistan, are expected in (1) 2010, (2) 2011, and (3) 2012. [HL2320]
Higher Level Lower Level Higher Level Lower Level 2010 10 550 fewer than 5 300 2011 20 1,070 10 450 2012 30 1,540 20 470
The figures are based on the Headquarters Land Forces model for language and cultural training which, as currently envisaged, will come to maturity by 2012. The figures for the intermediate years are interpolated from the 2009 baseline. The number deployed at any one time will be approximately half the annual number (six-month tours). Higher level training (for professional and expert qualifications) enables trusted translation. Lower level training enables linguists to undertake basic military business in limited scenarios. The majority of the higher level capability requirement is provided by contractors and locally employed civilians.
Dari speakers not deployed at any one time may be providing UK-based support to operations or recuperating between tours. No service man or woman is trained in Dari without an expectation of supporting operations in Afghanistan or from the UK.