HC Deb 04 July 1989 vol 156 c86W
Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been reported to him by the Welsh Language board; and what steps he is taking to implement any of its recommendations.

Mr. Wyn Roberts

The Welsh Language board published its strategy document on 22 June and will in the near future be publishing voluntary guidelines governing the use of Welsh in the public and private sectors. My right hon. Friend will give very careful consideration to all the board's recommendations.

Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what review he has undertaken of the availability of staff to provide medical and post-medical services in Welsh-speaking areas through the medium of the Welsh language; and whether he has any proposals to extend training courses in Wales to meet these requirements.

Mr. Grist

Information on the number of staff employed in the National Health Service in Wales who are bilingual in English and Welsh is not available centrally; the exception to this is information relating to speech therapists concerning which I wrote to the hon. Gentleman on 24 October 1988, placing a copy of my letter in the Library of the House. District health authorities in Wales are currently engaged in the second round of an annual manpower resource planning exercise to determine future manpower requirements in the National Health Service in Wales. Discussions of these plans with individual health authorities will include the demand for and availability of Welsh-speaking staff. Consideration will be given to the question of extending training courses in Wales to meet any such demand in the light of the outcome of that exercise.

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