Welsh Language Board

HC Deb 30 April 1990 vol 171 cc712-3

8. Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met the chairman of the Welsh Language Board; and what was discussed.

Mr. Wyn Roberts

My right hon. Friend last met the chairman of the Welsh Language Board on 4 April. Among other matters, they discussed making arrangements for the board to meet my right hon. Friend's successor as Secretary of State at the earliest opportunity.

Mr. Wigley

Does the Minister recall the assurance that was given by the Secretary of State at the Newport Eisteddfod 18 months ago that there would be legislation for the Welsh language? As the Welsh Language Board published, many months ago, a draft Bill which had overwhelming support from the majority of people in Wales, when will the Government desist from their time-wasting tactics and announce a Welsh Language Bill this year?

Mr. Roberts

The hon. Gentleman is falling into the trap into which many other people in Wales fall, of simply demanding that there should be a Welsh Language Act without being clear about what should go into it. He knows only too well that we are looking constructively at the board's proposals. However, there is not complete agreement, even on the board's proposals. Today's Western Mail reports the Welsh Consumer Council as being critical of it. Others want a more comprehensive Bill, and so on.

Mr. Barry Jones

Excuses.

Mr. Roberts

It ill becomes the hon. Gentleman to say "excuses" when we have done a great deal for the Welsh language, including passing the Education Reform Act 1988 which is of tremendous importance to the future of the Welsh language. This year, we are spending some £5.9 million on supporting Welsh language organisations. That is a record figure—34 per cent. up on last year.

Mr. Nicholas Bennett

When will my hon. Friend announce his decision on the applications by schools in south and mid-Pembrokeshire and other parts of Wales for exemption from compulsory Welsh in the national curriculum?

Mr. Roberts

My hon. Friend will know that the consultation period on our proposals for exemption ended on 6 April. We had about 100 responses, half of which were from his constituency. We shall consider the results of that consultation and make our decision in due course.

Mr. Rogers

Will the Minister take this opportunity to praise the Labour authorities of the south Wales valley conmmunities for their enormous support of the Welsh language over the years? Will he also take into account the fact that, in this Thursday's local government elections, in the 15 wards in the Rhondda valley there is not one Conservative candidate? Will the Minister—

Mr. Speaker

Order. The hon. Gentleman's supplementary question would be in order if all the authorities spoke Welsh and if it had something to do with the Welsh language.

Mr. Rogers

Does the Minister accept that not one Conservative candidate is standing in the local elections in the Rhondda? Therefore, there is no one to defend the Conservative party's record on the Welsh language and, especially, the Secretary of State's valleys initiative. What advice will he give to the Minister for Local Government and Inner Cities, the next Secretary of State for Wales to ensure that the Conservative party's case can be made in the south Wales valleys?

Mr. Roberts

I am ever ready to pay tribute to all local authorities in Wales for their contribution to the promotion of the Welsh language. I take advantage of this opportunity to draw the attention of some of them, including some Labour-controlled authorities, to the public sector guidelines issued by the Welsh Language Board. Not all local authorities in Wales have paid due respect to those guidelines, and I wish sincerely that they would.

Mr. Stanbrook

Should not we be encouraging unity in the British nation by promoting its common language rather than encouraging the separatist tendencies inherent in minority languages?

Mr. Roberts

I assure my hon. Friend that all of us who are Welsh speakers are as loyal to the Crown and to the institutions of this country as is anyone else. We are all English speakers, too, and we take every opportunity to promote the English language as well as the Welsh language. I remind my hon. Friend that Welsh was probably spoken in Britain at an earlier stage than English.