§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the centres in Wales where Alpan courses are available for adults wishing to learn the Welsh language.
§ Mr. John MorrisI understand that Ulpan courses for adults wishing to learn Welsh will be available at the following centres in the academic year 1976–77:
- Cardiff
- Caerphilly
- Cowbridge
- Treorchy
- Maesteg
- Risca
- Wrexham
- Rhyl
- Denbigh
- Lampeter
- Bangor
- Llanuwchllyn
Courses may also be available at:
- Aberystwyth
- Cardigan
- Carmarthen
- Deganwy
446 - Llandudno
- Llanrwst
- Penygroes
- Porthmadog
- Blaenau Ffestiniog
- Pwllheli
- Harlech
- Swansea
The courses will for the most part be provided by university college extra mural departments, by local education authorities and by Urdd Gobaith Cymru.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales what are the numbers and the proportion of pupils in Wales who entered secondary education in September 1975 who were native Welsh speakers.
§ Mr. Barry JonesThis information is not available, but, as I told the hon. Member on 24th June, work is proceeding on a statistical inquiry which will provide an indication of primary school pupils' fluency in Welsh. From this it will be possible to deduce how many children fluent in Welsh enter secondary schools each year.—[Vol. 913, c.628.]
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales whether the Welsh Office has adopted paragraph 91 of the Bowen Report on the Welsh language as its official policy.
§ Mr. Barry JonesI assume that the hon. Member means the Bowen Report on Bilingual Traffic Signs. A number of matters are referred to in paragraph 91. The Government's policy on the question of bilingual signs has been made abundantly clear on several occasions.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the policy of his Department towards sending out circulars to local authorities in Wales in a bilingual format.
§ Mr. John MorrisMy Department does not normally issue bilingual circulars to local authorities in Wales. The demand for them by authorities is very limited.