HC Deb 10 April 1930 vol 237 cc2362-3
82. Dr. MORRIS-JONES

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether any of the staff of the Income Tax Claims Department in London are conversant with the Welsh language?

Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCE

No, Sir, I believe not.

Dr. MORRIS-JONES

Does the hon. Member not consider that it is a very serious hardship on a large number of taxpayers who have to deal with this Department that there is no one conversant with the Welsh language?

Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCE

The hon. Member's question asks whether any of the staff of the Income Tax Department in London are conversant with the Welsh language. In those circumstances, I do not think any hardship can arise.

Dr. MORRIS-JONES

Would the hon. Member be surprised to hear that in the case of Welshmen who have to send claims to London, and who send them in the Welsh language, they are sent back in order for them to be translated into the English language? Is not this a great hardship on many loyal subjects in Wales?

Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCE

If the hon. Member has any special case of hardship in mind and will send particulars to me, I will have the matter looked into.

Mr. MUGGERIDGE

May I ask whether it is really desirable to keep up these barbarous languages?

Major OWEN

Will not the Financial Secretary take steps to secure that in the Department about which complaints are being made a civil servant with sufficient knowledge of the Welsh language is appointed? May I also ask whether Government Departments will show a little more consideration at any rate to a people who have a perfect right to their own language and have always maintained it, and who have been loyal to the British Crown?

Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCE

I can only reply, as I did to the hon. Member for Denbighshire (Dr. Morris-Jones), that if the hon. Member can show any special reasons for departing from the present position, I will consider the matter.

Mr. STRAUSS

Is there one single individual who could possibly understand Income Tax law and the Welsh language?