Welsh Language (Hansard, 31 January 1994)

§ Mr. Llwyd
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what level of funding will be available for the training of teachers to enable them to teach Welsh as a second language; and if he will make a statement.

§ Sir Wyn Roberts
£176,000 has been made available for 1993–94 by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales to help colleges meet the criteria for primary initial teacher training courses. These require that students must have the opportunity to learn Welsh. The council has yet to decide on the level of funds for 1994–95.
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Student teachers on one or two-year initial teacher training courses in Welsh receive a bursary of £1,000 under the Department for Education trainee teacher bursary scheme. This financial incentive is aimed at maintaining teacher supply in the shortage areas, including Welsh.
The sum of £3 million has been made available in 1993–94 through the grants for education support and training programme for the in-service training and support of teachers of Welsh as a first and second language. Local education authorities have been directed to target the majority of these funds towards the training of teachers responsible for teaching Welsh as a second language. I am currently considering authority bids for 1994–95 and expect to make an announcement on the level of funding shortly.
In deciding on the future level of funds to be made available account will continue to be taken of the supply, demand and training needs of teachers of Welsh as a second language.

§ Mr. Llwyd
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what funding will be available to finance the training of teachers to a level of teaching proficiency through the medium of the Welsh language; and if he will make a statement.

§ Sir Wyn Roberts
Mainstream funding for teaching provided by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales does not distinguish between Welsh medium and English medium teaching.
The Department has put in place an incentive supplement scheme aimed at increasing the supply of teachers trained to teach through the medium of the Welsh language. Expenditure under this scheme will amount to some £160,000 in 1993–94. I intend to make a similar level of funding available for 1994–95.
The sum of £264,400 has been made available in 1993–94 under the grants for education support and training programme for training to enable teachers to transfer from English medium to Welsh medium teaching. In addition, £12 million has been made available through the programme in 1993–94 for the in-service training and support for teachers on subject teaching. Local education authorities have been directed to target the majority of these funds, in both English and Welsh medium schools, towards the training needs of teachers in the national curriculum subjects requirements. I am currently considering authority bids for 1994–95 and expect to make an announcement on the level of funding shortly.
In deciding on the future level of funds to be made available account will continue to be taken of the supply, demand and training needs for Welsh medium teachers.