---

Telephone Inquiries

Answer

In accordance with the Welsh Language Act 1993, the Wales Office has a Welsh Language Scheme. Under the terms of the scheme, the switchboard serving our Cardiff office answers with a bilingual greeting. If the caller wishes to speak Welsh, the operator will try to connect the call to a Welsh speaker who can deal with the inquiry. If no Welsh speaker is available and able to deal with the inquiry, the caller will be given the choice of a Welsh speaker ringing back, or continuing the call in English. If the caller rings on one of our direct lines but the person taking the call cannot speak Welsh, he or she will try to transfer it to a suitable Welsh speaking colleague. Again, if no-one is available, the caller will be given the choice of a Welsh speaker calling back, or continuing the call in English. There might be times when there is no Welsh speaker available who can answer the query in full, especially if it is complex or specialised. In these cases, the caller will be given the option of discussing the matter in English or writing to us in Welsh—in which case, they would receive a written reply in Welsh. The switchboard serving our London headquarters may not have Welsh speaking staff. If they receive a call from someone wishing to speak Welsh, the operator will explain that he or she cannot speak Welsh but will offer to try to connect the caller to a Welsh speaker within the department. If none of our Welsh speakers was available, the operator would explain that this was so and offer the caller the option of continuing the conversation in English, or of leaving their details so that a Welsh speaker could ring back later. We have no facilities for dealing with telephone inquiries in Scots Gaelic or Irish Gaelic.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

14700; 437 c48W;437 c48W

Session

2005-06

Subjects

Languages Telephone services Wales Office