§ MR. S. T. EVANS (Glamorgan, Mid.)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that the Medical Inspectors of the Board in Wales are unable to speak the Welsh language; and whether, in future appointments of such Inspectors, he will select persons, otherwise well qualified, who will be conversant with the language?
§ MR. RITCHIEIt is only for the purpose of vaccination inspections that districts are assigned to the Medical Inspectors of the Local Government Board, and officers who act in Wales take English counties as well. As regards the general duties of the Inspectors, it is the practice to select for each inquiry the Inspector who appears to be best fitted for the duty, having regard to the engagements of the other members of the staff. At the same time I may say that in the event of my having to fill up an office where the duties of the officer would chiefly be in Wales, and I had before me two candidates who, apart from the question of the Welsh language, were in all other respects equally well qualified for the position, I should be willing to give the preference to the candidate with a knowledge of the Welsh language.