HC Deb 02 March 1967 vol 742 cc694-6
Q2. Mr. Gwynfor Evans

asked the Prime Minister if he will introduce legislation to enable hon. Members to address this House in any one of the national languages native to the countries of Great Britain.

The Prime Minister

This would be a matter for the House as a whole rather than for me, Sir, and would not require legislation. But I would remind the hon. Member of the wise Ruling which you, Mr. Speaker, gave when the hon. Member raised a similar point with you on 21st July last.—[Vol. 732, c. 879–85.]

Mr. Evans

Will the Prime Minister say clearly whether he regards this State as a national State or a multi-national State? If the latter, how can he reasonably justify denying representatives from constituent nations of these islands the right to address this House in one of the national languages? A yw'n iawn i'r heniaith hon gael ei hesgymuno o'r Ty hwn fel pe bai'n fratiaith ddiwerth?

Mr. Speaker

Order. I was afraid that was coming.

The Prime Minister

I am not sure—

Mr. Evans

On a point of order. Is it your Ruling, Mr. Speaker, that no one may address this House in any language but English, and, therefore, that the Welsh language must always be regarded in this House—although it is an ancient British tongue—as a foreign language?

The Prime Minister

In answer to the original supplementary question, the first sentence of it did not convey much more to me than the third. As for the second, it is not for me to express a view on the conduct of our Parliamentary business; it is a matter for the House. As the hon. Member will recognise, in whatever language the House agrees that he or any other hon. Member should address it, he will be sure to get the attention and respect of the House to the extent that the words he uses, in any language, convey deep common sense and a realistic policy.

Mr. Heath

The Commonwealth Secretary, when Leader of the House, said that he would consider sympathetically and possibly refer to a Select Committee the question of taking the Oath in another language. Will the Prime Minister say what has happened about that?

The Prime Minister

This is a separate question, because the Question referred to the right of hon. Members generally to address this House, not merely to take the Oath. All these matters, of course, are for the House. I would certainly consider it perfectly suitable for the Select Committee to consider the question of the Oath or any other question raised by the hon. Gentleman's Question.

Mr. Ogden

Does my right hon. Friend appreciate that some of the English Members of the House would welcome the opportunity of using plain, unadorned English, particularly that form of old Anglo-Saxon used west of the Pennines and north of the Mersey?

Mr. Heath

The Leader of the House said that to change the Oath so that we could take it in another language would require a change of legislation, which is perfectly true, and undertook to take action about it. I am asking the Prime Minister whether the Leader of the House has taken any action.

The Prime Minister

I will look into the question of whether any action has been taken, but there is no reason why the Select Committee should not take this matter up as a matter of urgency, at once if it feels that that is necessary.

Sir W. Bromley-Davenport

Could I ask the right hon. Gentleman please to resist proposals of this nature? Is he aware that we on these benches already find it difficult enough to understand the nonsensical speeches which come in a steady flow from the Government Front Bench? [Laughter.]

Mr. Speaker

Order. This is a serious matter.

The Prime Minister

Yes, Sir, any intervention by the hon. and gallant Member for Knutsford (Sir W. Bromley-Davenport) always gets the very serious consideration which his weighty interventions command. However, just as it is not a matter for me to take action in this matter, as I said in answer to the original Question, equally it is not for me to resist proposals of this nature. This must be a matter for the House as a whole, including the hon. and gallant Gentleman.