§ Mrs. EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the Gaelic-medium units in Scottish primary schools and the number of pupils studying them in each year since 1985. [71674]
§ Mr. Macdonald[holding answer 22 February 19991The table shows numbers of Gaelic-medium units in Scottish primary schools and the total number of pupils in each year since 1985:
Unit Pupils 1985–86 2 24 1986–87 6 64 1987–88 9 112 1988–89 13 169 1989–90 19 286 1990–91 25 431 1991–92 31 614 1992–93 38 824 1993–94 45 1,080 1994–95 47 1,258 1995–96 50 1,456 1996–97 52 1,587 1997–98 55 1,736 1998–99 56 1,816 From 1 July 1999 this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.