§ Mr. Gwynfor Evansasked the Attorney-General how many court administrators are attached to the Wales and Chester circuit.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThere are three courts administrators in the Wales and Chester circuit.
§ Mr. Gwynfor Evansasked the Attorney-General how many officers of senior executive and higher executive grade are attached to the Crown Court in South-East Wales, in South-West Wales and in North Wales and Chester, respectively; how many of these officers in each of these areas are natives of Wales; how many are able to speak Welsh; how many have learnt Welsh in officially sponsored courses; and how many are undergoing such training.
§ The Attorney-GeneralIn South-East Wales, 12, of whom nine were born in Wales; one speaks Welsh and learnt on an officially sponsored course.
In South-West Wales, six, of whom five are Welsh born; two sneak Welsh.
In North Wales and Cheshire, seven and three respectively; two speak Welsh.
Whereas two members of the Court Service staff have attended the officially sponsored Welsh courses none is doing so at the present time.
§ Mr. Gwynfor Evansasked the Attorney-General what steps Her Majesty's Government propose to take to give effect to the recommendations as to the staffing of the courts in Wales, and in particular the Crown Court, made by Lord Justice Edmund Davies to Lord Hailsham of Marylebone when he was Lord Chancellor.
§ The Attorney-GeneralLord Edmund Davis thought that attention required to be given to the staffing of courts with clerks who were competent in Welsh. As my answer to another of the hon. Member's Questions today shows, there is a 449W nucleus of Welsh-speaking staff in Crown centres in Wales, and courses I the Welsh language are available for those who are prepared to undertake them when their court duties make this possible.