§ Mr. Hornerasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs whether he will take steps to encourage the use of Pidgin, the lingua franca of the peoples of the British Solomon Islands Protectorate, by the members of Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service serving in the Protectorate.
§ Mr. George Thomas:Those members of Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service whose duties bring them into contact with the people at the village level are expected to be able to converse in "Pidgin English". All expatriate officers of permanent status or on long-term contracts are required to pass an examination in Pidgin English within three and two years respectively of being appointed to the Protectorate, unless at that time they have attained the age of 40. It is not considered practicable to require short-term contract officers to sit such an examination but in considering renewal of contracts of officers whose duties involve regular contact with the public, the ability of the officer to communicate with Melanesians is specifically considered.
As knowledge of English increases, the importance of Pidgin English is expected to decline, and in consequence further measures to encourage the use of Pidgin English by expatriated officers are not considered necessary.