§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will take steps to review the policies being pursued by local education authorities in Wales to ensure that children who wish to have their primary or secondary education in Wales at a Welsh medium school are able to do so in conditions and circumstances that are in no way inferior to those available for English medium schools in Wales.
§ Sir Wyn RobertsWe expect local education authorities to pursue policies which enable them to discharge their statutory responsibilities for the education of all children at maintained schools irrespective of the medium of education.
In the exercise of my responsibilities I am concerned to ensure parity between English medium and Welsh medium provision so far as practicable. For example, the national curriculum provides for the assessment of pupils at all key stages through the medium of either English or Welsh. Welsh medium assessment materials will be of comparable standard to those in English. Moreover central Government continue to give substantial financial support for the development of Welsh medium teaching materials generally.
It is for local education authorities to determine their own priorities for allocating capital resources for the provision of educational buildings and their capital maintenance, bearing in mind the needs of both the English and Welsh medium sectors.
Local education authorities are also responsible for ensuring that schools have adequate funds to meet the cost of essential equipment. The introduction of local management of schools will ensure a fair distribution of resources and will provide schools with the flexibility to decide their own education priorities.