HC Deb 19 July 1993 vol 229 cc5-7
3. Mr. Ian Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of Welsh school children are taught using Welsh as their first language; arid what assessment his Department has made on the progress of such children into further and higher education relative to those using English as their first language.

Sir Wyn Roberts

Welsh was the sole or main medium of instruction for 16 per cent. of primary school pupils in September 1991, and 15.8 per cent. of secondary pupils in Wales were attending a Welsh-speaking secondary school. as defined by the Education Reform Act 1988. Provisional analyses of the information for the 1991–92 school year shows that 33 per cent. of pupils from Welsh-speaking schools went on to further or higher education. That compares with 30 per cent. of pupils from all local education authority and grant-maintained schools in Wales.

Mr. Bruce

I am sure that my right hon. Friend would agree that that shows that the Government's policy of keeping Welsh a living language has been extremely successful. What effect does he think that Labour's failure to support the Welsh Language Bill—and, indeed, the fact that Plaid Cymru has voted against it—will have on our excellent policy?

Sir Wyn Roberts

My hon. Friend will be interested to learn that all the progress in Welsh-medium education has resulted from the Education Act 1944. We sought to improve matters further through the Welsh Language Bill, which represents a considerable advance for Welsh speakers and will mean that guidelines will be prepared by the Welsh Language Board, under which local education authorities will state what provision they are making for Welsh medium education.

Mr. Rogers

At some time in his busy schedule, will the Minister take time to instruct his stool pigeons who are brought forward to ask questions—

Hon. Members

Order.

Madam Speaker

Order. I consider that somewhat unparliamentary language, and I would be glad if the hon. Gentleman would withdraw his comment. If he is going to put a question, will he do so?

Mr. Rogers

I withdraw the remark, Madam Speaker.

Will the Minister of State instruct those whom he has brought into the Chamber to fill up Question Time in the basic knowledge relating to the Welsh language? Perhaps he will tell the hon. Member for South Dorset (Mr. Bruce), who has crept into the Chamber and begun criticising Labour's policies on Welsh, that if it were not for the Labour party—particularly Labour-controlled authorities in south Wales—there would be no Welsh language in the form in which we are discussing it? Will the Minister also ask the hon. Member for South Dorset—whom he has dragged in to act for him this afternoon—to recognise that the outstanding results announced today follow the excellent work done to support the Welsh language in south Wales?

Sir Wyn Roberts

If the hon. Gentleman's party has some responsibility for the success of the Welsh language, is not it curious that it did not support the Third Reading of the Welsh Language Bill? As for the hon. Gentleman's comments about my hon. Friends, I note that some hon. Members representing parts of the United Kingdom other than Wales are present on the Opposition Benches. Perhaps Welsh Opposition Members should table rather more questions; then they might have the same luck as my hon. Friend the Member for South Dorset.