Culture briefing packs will teach immigrants how to queue

The information may tell new arrivals from Eastern Europe and elsewhere that the British like to queue at the Post Office and and frown on spitting in the street.

The cultural packs would be drawn up by local councils according to circumstances in their area, a commission spokeswoman said.

The commission also suggests that on the basis of recent experience in East Anglia those fishing should throw carp back in the river after fishing them out.

Migrants to Cornwall will even be greeted with the advice not to miss out on the pasties or clotted cream.

Although the county's 140-page document makes no mention of queueing, spitting or fishing, it does contain other vital advice - suggesting to the new arrivals that they don't miss out on the delicacies that have made the West Country famous.

And they are assured, that despite a push for Cornish nationalism, English remains the first language.

For those perplexed about the local money, it explains: "The UK has not entered the euro yet, and still has its own currency, pounds and pence."

Cornwall's "welcome pack" has pages of helpful hints on how to get a job, how to get a house, how to get medical help, and how to claim benefits.

New immigrants are warned that it can be difficult to get an NHS dentist. Despite the view of the commission that translation servives should be reined back in the interest of encouraging immigrants to speak English, the Cornwall document is produced in four languages: English, Polish, Portuguese and Russian (because migrants from the Baltic republics understand it).

It warns sternly that domestic violence "is not acceptable in this country".

However, "if you are concerned about your drug use, ring for confidential help and advice".

Newcomers are told to taste the local specialities at least once. "Cornwall is part of England, but sometimes people would like to be separate," the document says. "You may hear people refer to the rest of England as a foreign country.

"Cornwall used to have its own language many years ago, and people are reviving it.

"Cornish is sometimes written on signposts, with the English version as well. English is spoken as the first language."

Whether guidance on Cornish nationalism and information on a language notoriously spoken by no more than a handful of enthusiasts sits easily with the objective of social cohesion is a matter for the statefunded Cornwall Strategic Partnership - which produced the pack.