HC Deb 29 April 1999 vol 330 cc253-4W
Mr. Dafis

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the posts created in the National Assembly for Wales which stipulate knowledge of the Welsh language as(a) necessary and (b) desirable; and those posts for which there is no such stipulation. [78773]

Mr. Michael

Welsh has been specified as essential for posts in the translation service and in the editorial team for the record of Assembly business. Jobs for which Welsh is essential are carefully considered before reaching that conclusion and have attracted a choice of candidates. Posts for which Welsh is desirable or an advantage have been well subscribed by both English and Welsh speakers and also those speaking other modern World languages. An example is the recent Middle Managers recruitment scheme for which Welsh was identified as desirable and which generated over 1,000 applications for a possible 20 posts, the majority from English speakers.

Welsh has been described as an advantage for a number of other posts. For posts where Welsh is advertised as desirable or an advantage, it could be used as a deciding factor only where two candidates were equally good in all other respects. There are no posts for which a knowledge of Welsh is undesirable.

1. Posts for which Welsh is essential

  • Translators
  • Editorial Team
  • Committee Clerks —2 (out of 7)
  • Deputy Committee Clerks —2 (out of 7)

2.Posts where Welsh is an advantage

  • Head of Committee Secretariat
  • Staff of Committee Secretariat
  • Head of Public Information and Education Services
  • Public Information and Education Support Team
  • Head of Members Information and Briefing Service
  • Members Information and Briefing Service Support Team
  • Head of Chamber Secretariat
  • Head of Table Office
  • Table Office Support Team
  • Private Secretary to the Presiding and Deputy Presiding
  • Officer Librarian
  • Assistant Economist
  • General Executive Officer
  • Assistant Librarian
  • IS/IT Co-ordinator
  • Record of Proceeding Support Team

3. Other posts

  • Director of Public Information and Education
  • PS/PA to Director of Assembly Communications
  • Middle Managers
  • Security Guards/Ushers.

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