§ Mr. SwayneTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with headteachers and governors of schools in Monmouth regarding the compulsory teaching of Welsh at Key Stage 4; and if he will make a statement. [71166]
§ Mr. HainIn accordance with statutory requirements, the Qualifications, Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales (ACCAC) consulted the headteacher and the governing body of Monmouth Comprehensive School on the proposal to lift the exemption from teaching Welsh to pupils at Key Stage 4 from September 1999. ACCAC considered the case put forward by the school and concluded that there were not sufficient grounds to warrant the further extension of the exemption granted in 1990. Accordingly, ACCAC recommended, in January 1998, that the exemption be lifted and that Welsh should be made a compulsory subject at Key Stage 4 from 1999.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave careful consideration to ACCAC's report and the case put forward by the school. He accepted ACCAC' s recommendation and published, for comment, a draft Order giving effect to it. A copy of the draft Order was sent to the headteachers and governing body of Monmouth Comprehensive School. After careful consideration of the points made to him in response to the publication of the draft Order, my right hon. Friend concluded that no matters of substance arose which were not dealt with in ACCAC' s report. An Order giving effect to ACCAC's recommendation came into force on 20 November 1998. This will bring Monmouth Comprehensive School into line with all other nonWelsh-speaking schools in Wales as regards the teaching of Welsh to pupils at Key Stage 4 from September 1999.