HC Deb 21 July 1997 vol 298 c467W
Mr. Dafis

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to ensure that Welsh will be a core subject under the national curriculum at key stage 4 from 1999. [8913]

Mr. Hain

The White Paper "Building Excellent Schools Together", Cm 3701, published on 8 July, re affirmed the manifesto commitment to the teaching of Welsh in schools in Wales. Welsh is compulsory at key stage 4 in Welsh-speaking schools, and will remain so. The regulations to make it a compulsory part of the curriculum for 14 to 16-year-olds in non-Welsh-speaking schools from September 1999 are already in place. I