§ MR. CLAUDE HAY (Shoreditch, Hoxton)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether members of the Metropolitan Police learn foreign languages at their own expense, or whether they receive any allowance in money, time, or advantages in the matter of promotion for so doing; and, in the event of any expense being incurred by the State in the matter, whether he will state the amount expended on such teaching during each of the last ten years.
§ *MR. AKERS-DOUGLASMembers of the Metropolitan Police Force receive no allowance in any form for learning foreign languages. A few months ago, however, I sanctioned the expenditure of a small sum in prizes to officers who attain proficiency in Yiddish.
MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)inquired whether officers in the Navy were not granted three months leave in which to learn a foreign language and extra pay when they attained efficiency therein.
§ *MR. AKERS-DOUGLASI am aware of that.
§ *MR. AKERS-DOUGLASThe matter there is somewhat different. It would have to apply to men as well as officers. I will consider if anything can be done, however, in this direction.