§ MR. KETTLE (Tyrone, E.)To ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he can state what are the competitive Civil Service examinations for which languages in addition to English are specified in the programmes; and whether Irish and Welsh are included among these additional languages.
(Answered by Mr. Runciman.) For an Answer to the first part of his Question I must refer the hon. Member to the Stationery Office publication (which I will send to him) entitled "Abstract of Rules and Regulations respecting Examinations for the Home Civil Service, the Army, the Navy, the Civil Service of India." In no case, I understand, is Welsh a subject of examination. Irish is a compulsory subject for the qualifying examination of candidates for the position of Organiser of Irish Language Instruction; but this position has not been filled by competition. It is an optional subject in the examinations of candidates for the situation of Assistant in the Irish Antiquities section of the Dublin Museum of Science and Art, and also for that of Assistant Organiser of Kindergarten Teaching under the National Education Office; but the second of these situations is not filled by competition.