§ 19. Lord APSLEYasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the number of colonies and mandated territories in which English is the sole official language; the number of those in which there are two official languages, with their names; and the number of those in which there are three or more official languages, also with their names?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERAs the answer is a long one, I will, with my Noble Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the answer:
§ English is the sole official language used in most of the British Colonies, Protectorates and mandated territories. In Ceylon, Fiji, the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony, the British Solomon Islands Protectorate, Malaya, Mauritius and Uganda certain native or other languages are also recognised for some official purposes, such as in the proceedings of the inferior courts, etc. The territories in which languages other than, or in addition to, English are recognised as official, are as follow:
- Aden Protectorate: Arabic.
- Malta: English and Italian.
- New Hebrides: English and French.
- Palestine: English, Arabic, and Hebrew.
- Tonga: English and Tongan.
- Transjordan: Arabic.
- Unfederated Malay States: English and Malay.