§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Wales how much each Welsh local authority spent for housing capital purposes in 1974–75 and 1975–76 by (a) new house building, land acquisition, slum clearance and section 105 allocations, and (b) improvement grants, lending for purchase and improvement of houses.
§ Mr. Wyn RobertsThe figures are given below:
time staff with special administrative responsibility for teaching Welsh to adults, following the recommendations in paragraphs 35 and 36 of the report of the Council for the Welsh Language, "Dysgu Cymraeg i Oedolion—Welsh for Adults".
127W
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsThis information is not collected by the Department.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what action he has taken to implement the recommendations of the Council for the Welsh Language's reports "Welsh for Adults", "Publishing in the Welsh Language" and "Periodicals in Welsh for Children and Young People";
(2) if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy on the conclusion expressed in paragraph 3, 8, 9 and 13 to 22 of the final report of the Council for the Welsh Language that the Government should take the lead and announce a positive policy of effective bilingualism in Wales;
(3) whether he will now authorise his Department to conduct a campaign for information on bilingualism as advocated in paragraphs 8, 9, 12, 18, 23, 46 and 49 of the final report of the Council for the Welsh Language;
(4) what plans he has to implement paragraphs 8, 43 and 46 of the final report of the Council for the Welsh Language to provide bilingual forms and other documents as well as bilingual traffic signs.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsI refer the hon. Member to my recent speech on Welsh language policy, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many local education authority Welsh-medium or bilingual nursery units are not followed by a corresponding (a) primary and (b) secondary Welsh-medium facility; and if he will break down the information by county;
(2) how many Welsh-medium or bilingual primary schools or units are not fed by a local education authority nursery school or unit as recommended in the report on primary education in Wales; and if he will publish a breakdown by county.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsThe information is not readily available and cannot be obtained without disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will now establish a division within his Department as advo- 128W cated in paragraph 49 of the final report of the Council for the Welsh Language.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) whether he will now review section 8 of the Education Act 1944 to ascertain whether it needs to be amended to require local education authorities to provide adequate bilingual primary and secondary schools as recommended in paragraph 32 of the final report of the Council of the Welsh Language;
(2) if he will examine the implications of section 76 of the Education Act 1944 to ensure that parents are given an unfettered right to education through the medium of Welsh for their children as recommended in paragraph 32 of the final report of the Council for the Welsh Language.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsI do not consider that any amendment of sections 8 and 76 of the Education Act 1944 is called for. Provision for bilingual education is made by local education authorities in the light of the needs and characteristics of particular localities, taking account of parental wishes.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a new development control policy note on "The Welsh language in planning" to give effect to recommendation 45 of the first report of the Council for the Welsh Language, "Dyfodol ir Iaith Gymraeg—A Future for the Welsh Language".
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsI refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend to the hon. Member for Merioneth (Mr. Thomas) on 10 June 1980—[Vol. 986, c.105.]
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales what consideration he has given to the recommendations in paragraph 40 to 42 of the report by the Council for the Welsh Language "Welsh for Adults" that a standing conference or a similar body should be convened to represent the whole field of teaching Welsh to adults and be responsible for the functions summarised in paragraph 42 of the report; if he will act on the recommendation in paragraph 41 that a full-time agency should be set up to work under the general supervision 129W of the standing conference, funded by a direct Government grant; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsI do not propose to set up such a body or agency.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales what action has been taken by his Department, including the publication of circulars, to draw the attention of local education authorities to the recommendations in paragraph 14 of the report of the Council for the Welsh Language on nursery education, about planning Welsh-medium nursery provision.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsThe report was commended to the attention of Welsh local education authorities. It is for those authorities to decide upon their own needs and priorities in the light of available resources.