HC Deb 07 March 1994 vol 239 cc34-5W
Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what new proposals he has to increase the use of British languages that belong to the Brythonic and Goidelic families of languages.

Sir Wyn Roberts

There are five indigenous Celtic languages: Welsh and Cornish (which falls into the Brythonic group) and Irish, Scots Gaelic and Manx (which fall into the Goidelic group). Of these, only three are commonly used today. These are Welsh, Irish and Scots Gaelic.

The Government have a long-standing commitment to helping to secure the future of the Welsh language. The Welsh Language Act 1993 is the latest manifestation of this commitment. The Act establishes the principle that in the conduct of public business and the administration of justice in Wales, Welsh and English should be treated on a basis of equality so far as is both appropriate in the circumstances and reasonably practicable. The Act also establishes the Welsh Language Board with the objective of promoting and facilitating the use of Welsh. It is the Government's belief that, as a result of the Welsh Language Act and the work of the Welsh Language Board, a substantial increase in the public services available to the public through the medium of Welsh will be achieved. The goal is to give effect to the Government's long-term aid of allowing people who wish to do so the choice of using Welsh in all aspects of their daily lives.

The Government support the Welsh language in other ways. We are acutely aware of the importance of education and, since 1988, Welsh has been an integral part of the schools curriculum in Wales. It is a core subject in Welsh medium schools and compulsory in all other maintained schools in Wales. Nursery education is particularly important and I was pleased recently to be able to announce a substantial increase in our contribution to Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin, the Welsh nursery schools movement, for the coming financial year; £537,000 has been allocated —a 15 per cent. increase on 1993–94—to help Mudiad develop in the less Welsh-speaking areas of Gwent and Deeside.

At the same time I was also able to announce further grants to other voluntary organisations playing a significant part in ensuring that the language flourishes: the National Eisteddford, the Welsh Books Council and Urdd Gobaith Cymru, the Welsh youth movement.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland supports the Gaelic language and culture by providing grants (a) to education authorities to provide Gaelic-medium education; (b) for the making of television programmes in Gaelic; and (c) to cultural organisations committed to maintaining and developing the use of the language. It is hoped that these measures will lead to an increase in the use of Gaelic in Scotland.

The Government recognise that the Irish language is an important part of the cultural heritage of many people in Northern Ireland. The Government manifest respect for the special importance of the language of those people, encourage interest in it and appreciation of it for its own sake rather than any political connotations, and seek to highlight the contribution that the language has made to the cultural heritage of the whole community.