§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on(a) the level of provision of Welsh-medium speech and language therapy for children in Wales, (b) the number of trained Welsh-medium speech therapists and (c) the establishment of a Welsh-medium speech therapy course at colleges in Wales. [1764]
§ Mr. HagueThe level of provision of Welsh-medium speech and language therapy for children in Wales is for health authorities to determine taking into account the health needs of their areas and their own assessment of priority. Information on the number of trained Welsh-medium speech therapists in Wales is not held centrally. Responsibility for training, including the provision of a Welsh-medium course rests with individual higher education institutions. A specific bilingual option for students during the third year of study already exists at the University of Wales institute, Cardiff.
514W
Numbers of ordinary classes in maintained primary schools in Wales, by class size and local education authority September 1990 September 1991 September 1992 January 1994 January 1995 January 19961 Clwyd Up to 15 78 68 74 71 54 52 16–20 113 103 118 100 89 85 21–25 290 310 302 273 260 275 26–30 510 513 534 518 506 516 31–35 290 294 265 328 355 373 36–40 38 34 46 47 60 51 41–45 2 1 4 3 4 4 46+ 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total 1,321 1,323 1,343 1,340 1,328 1,356 Dyfed Up to 15 251 284 256 202 186 176 16–20 269 350 369 315 268 252 21–25 391 394 398 428 423 452 26–30 259 243 261 318 355 350 31–35 67 71 61 70 84 83 36–40 8 7 4 3 6 9 41–45 1 0 0 0 1 1 46+ 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total 1,346 1,349 1,349 1,336 1,323 1,323