asked the Minister of Education, how many of His Majesty's Inspectors of Schools have been appointed from teachers in Monmouthshire during the last 25 years; and whether the proportion is not less than that from other counties.

I regret that the information asked for by my hon. Friend could only be obtained by an undue expenditure of time and labour. The part of the country in which candidates for His Majesty's Inspectorate happen to be at work when they apply does not in any way influence their selection.

May I ask my right hon. Friend for an assurance that English-speaking Welshmen—those who are not bilingual—do not suffer in appointments to posts as His Majesty's inspectors, because there is a definite feeling in Wales that unless one is Welsh-speaking, one cannot get this promotion?

I will certainly do my best to see that justice is done, and so help those who are not bilingual.

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind the fact that knowledge of Welsh is a particularly valuable qualification in this connection?

I realise that it is—in some parts of Wales.