HC Deb 02 April 1984 vol 57 cc385-6W
Mr. Donald Stewart

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the amount of direct expenditure by his Department there has been on Gaelic for the financial years 1981–82, 1982–83 and 1983–84; and if he will identify within his Department's programme expenditure on the Gaelic language programme.

Mr. Younger

The Gaelic organisations directly funded by the Scottish Education Department in these years were as follows:

1981–82 £ 1982–83 £ 1983–84 £
An Comunn Gaidhealach 57,000 62,000 66,000
Sabhal Mor Ostaig 9,000 10,000 11,190
Gaelic Books Council 21,517 29,356 *
* Up to, and including 1982–83, grant to the Gaelic Books Council was made jointly by SED and the Scottish Arts Council. From 1983–84 grant payment to the Council became entirely the responsibility of the Scottish Arts Council.

In addition, the following sums with the Department's programmes were allocated to Gaelic language initiatives:

1981–82 1982–83 1983–84
£ £ £
Jordanhill College of Education: Western Isles Primary Bilingual Education Project 8,956
Stirling University: Evaluation of Primary Bilingual Education Project 7,987
Consultative Committee on the Curriculum: Committee on Gaelic 4,600 4,900 6,300