§ Mr. Gwynfor Evansasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the persons summoned in Wales since 1st January, 1965, for failing to display a road fund licence on their motor vehicles have requested the summons to be in the Welsh language.
§ Mr. Roy JenkinsI regret that this information is not available.
§ Mr. Gwynfor Evansasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice he has given to magistrates' clerks in Wales concerning the issue of summonses in the Welsh language.
§ Mr. Roy JenkinsIt is for the courts to interpret the law, but my Department has expressed the view that a summons may lawfully be issued in Welsh.
§ Mr. Gwynfor Evansasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to acquaint the chief constables of Welsh police forces of the Government's proposals to give the Welsh language equal validity with English and to advise them not to prosecute persons who, as a result of using the Welsh language as if it already had equal legal validity with the English language, are unable to conform to certain statutory requirements, without obtaining the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
§ Mr. Roy JenkinsNo. I am sure that Chief Constables of Welsh police forces are well aware of the proposals, and I do not think that any such advice would be appropriate.