§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on the proposals of the Metropolitan Police to teach the London police certain dialects as used by certain inhabitants in the Metropolitan Police area; whether he will list the dialects to be taught; and whether these will include Gaelic, Yiddish, Glasgow, Cockney, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Geordie and other known dialects as used by the British indigenous population.
§ Mr. MayhewThe recently expanded Metropolitan Police recruit training course provides an opportunity for recruits, 80 per cent. of whom come from outside London, to familiarise themselves with the different speaking styles and characteristics that they are likely to meet in every day contact with the public. These include regional dialects, speech defects and foreign accents. The purpose of this training is to improve communications between the police and the public by enhancing the listening skills of recruits. There is no proposal to teach dialects to the police.