Written question asked by Angus Brendan MacNeil (Scottish National Party) on Tuesday, 19 July 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 21 July 2005. It was answered by Lord Hanson of Flint (Labour) on Monday, 12 September 2005 on behalf of the Northern Ireland Office.

Telephone Inquiries

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what facilities his Department has to deal with telephone Inquiries in (a) Welsh, (b) Scots Gaelic and (c) Irish Gaelic.

Answer: Central guidance for Northern Ireland officials on meeting UK Government commitments in respect of Irish as set out in the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages has been developed by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure and agreed by all Northern Ireland Departments and other Government Departments operating in the Northern Ireland.Telephone inquiries received in Irish are dealt with in that language if the official receiving the call is confident that he/she can do so. If the official is unable to carry out a conversation in Irish, the caller can be directed or diverted to either an Irish-speaking member of staff, should one be available, or an Irish language voicemail facility.There are no official obligations in Northern Ireland in respect of Welsh or Scots Gaelic, although, where practicable, Departments would endeavour to accommodate the needs of persons speaking those languages.

Secondary information