HC Deb 24 October 1978 vol 955 c787W
Mrs. Winifred Ewing

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what steps have been taken by the various education authorities in the Highlands and Grampian Regions to ascertain the wishes of parents in regard to the teaching of Gaelic; what result was obtained; and what action will follow;

(2) what new initiatives he intends to take to improve the availability of Gaelic tuition in Scotland as a whole and the Highland region in particular; what evidence he has received of the wish of parents, particularly in the Highland region, to have their children taught the language; what number of teachers are employed to teach Gaelic, and in which areas of Scotland; and what number of

Teachers Children
Regional and Island Authorities Primary Secondary Primary Secondary
Central 1 23
Grampian 2 2 2 5
Highland 85 20 2,342 840
Lothian 1 3
Strathclyde:
Argyll and Bute 17 7 473 456
Dumbarton 2 19
Glasgow (City) 23 397
Tayside 3 1 68 42
Western Isles 154 31 3,471 1,644
ALL SCOTLAND 264 85 6,398 3,387

The numbers of teachers giving tuition in other subjects through the medium of Gaelic and the numbers of children

Teachers Children
Primary Secondary Primary Secondary
Grampian 2 2
Highland 7 93
Strathclyde: Argyll and Bute 2 32
Western Isles 53 1 787 12
ALL SCOTLAND 64 1 914 12