§ 72. Major BREESEasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that grave dissatisfaction arises from the appointment of persons to act as old age pensions officers in essentially Welsh-speaking districts in Wales whereby claimants are seriously prejudiced by not understanding the language of inquiry into their means; whether in the Llanwrog sub-district of Carnarvonshire an English-speaking official of Irish nationality without the slightest knowledge of the Welsh-language is being employed; and if he will take steps to substitute a Welsh-speaking official as pensions officer in this district?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Stanley Baldwin)The reply to the first part of the question is in the negative, but if the hon. and gallant Member will furnish me with the names and addresses of any claimants who are believed to have been prejudiced in the manner suggested, I shall be happy to have inquiries made and to communicate the result. As regards the remainder of the question, I am informed that the pension officer in charge of Carnarvon station, in which the parish of Llandwrog is situated, is Mr. John David Evans, who is a Welshman and thoroughly conversant with the Welsh language.
§ Major BREESEIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the pensions officer is an Irishman?
§ Mr. BALDWINIf the hon. Member will communicate with me, I will make inquiries.