Oral Answers to Questions — Local Government – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 24 February 1959.
Mr. Idwal Jones:
asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will propose an increase in the present grant of £1,000 given to support the publication of Welsh books; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Henry Brooke
, Hampstead
It is not only the publishing of books in Welsh but the buying and reading of them that is important. I have arranged for discussions to be held with the University of Wales Press Board and the Union of Welsh Publishers and Booksellers, but I am not yet in a position to make a statement.
Mr. Idwal Jones:
Is the Minister aware that certain hon. Members on this side of the House do not fully understand his attitude to the reading of Welsh books? If the grant were increased the price of Welsh books could be reduced and a larger market created among Welsh readers.
Mr Henry Brooke
, Hampstead
The matter is rather more complicated than that. I attach a great deal of importance to this question. I realise how significant it is for the future of the Welsh language which, as a Conservative, I want to help to conserve.
Mr Ian Mikardo
, Reading
Can the right hon. Gentleman tell us how many books in Welsh have been purchased and read by the Minister for Welsh Affairs?
Mr Henry Brooke
, Hampstead
I find the language a very difficult one to learn.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
The language of Wales spoken by around 25% of the population. It is an Indo-European language and belongs to the Celtic group. It was made "offical" in Wales by the Welsh Language Act 1993. It is known in Welsh as Cymraeg.
