HC Deb 26 November 1974 vol 882 cc119-20W
Mr. Gwynfor Evans

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on his policy towards giving priority to training teachers able to teach through the medium of the Welsh language and to teach Welsh as a second language.

Mr. Prentice

In 1973, 499 students were taking Welsh as a main subject course in non-graduate courses of initial training. Of these about 330 were at primary level and the remainder primary/ secondary or secondary. There is no evidence of a demand for more such courses.

Mr. Gwynfor Evans

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers have gained qualifications to teach the Welsh language in each of the last five years.

Mr. Armstrong

The certificate in education, which confers eligibility for qualified teacher status, is not granted specifically for individual subjects.

The following figures show how many teacher trainees studied Welsh to the extent indicated:

Number of students admitted to non-graduate teacher training courses with Welsh as a main subject:

Academic year beginning
1969 128
1970 137
1971 172
1972 151
1973 170 (provisional)

Number of graduates with degrees in Welsh who successfully completed postgraduate courses of teacher training:

Academic year ending
1969 35
1970 30
1971 28
1972 34
1973 26 (provisional)