§ Mr. Nicholas BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will make a statement on the recommendation of the national curriculum Welsh working group that any exemption granted by him to schools not to teach Welsh as a foundation subject should be temporary until such time as the schools can put into place the necessary programme of study and recruit the required staff.
§ Mr. Wyn RobertsThe Welsh working group is currently consulting on the preliminary recommendations set out in its interim report in order to inform its final report. Before my right hon. Friend reaches any decisions about the use of his power to make exemptions from foundation subjects in the national curriculum he will want to consider this final report due in April 1989. He expects the group to make recommendations which are as widely acceptable as possible, so as to minimise the need for exemption but he would not at this stage want to rule out the possibility of exemptions in circumstances other than those by the working group in its interim report.