§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the number of students who submitted exam papers in Welsh in 1991; what was the cost of having these papers translated into English; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir Wyn RobertsThe latest available statistics from the Welsh Joint Education Committee show that in 1991 a total of 1,093 candidates submitted Welsh medium papers for A/AS level and 9,679 for GCSE examinations. There are no costs to students associated with translation as schools choose to enter candidates through either the medium of Welsh or English.
§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to review the system whereby students submitting certain exam papers in Welsh in the coming school year will have to pay to have them translated into English; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir Wyn RobertsThe principal examining body for GCSE and A-level examinations in Wales is the Welsh Joint Education Committee—WJEC. There are no translation costs, as examination papers submitted by pupils in the medium of Welsh are marked by the WJEC's Welsh-speaking examiners and are not translated into English.