6. Will the First Minister make a statement on the Welsh-medium stream at Brecon High School? OAQ(5)0608(FM)

Unfortunately, I can’t comment further on those proposals for change because of course there is a potential role for the Welsh Government, and that position can’t be prejudiced.

I thank the First Minister for that reply, which of course I understand. This is the opposite to the situation that we faced in Llangennech, where there’s parental Opposition to the changing of the status of the school to a Welsh-medium school. There’s a feeling in the locality in Brecon that this proposal for closure has become a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy because the council has, for many years, had a proposal to close down, and they’ve provided free transport to alternative schools for parents, so it’s not surprising that parents who want to have their children taught through the medium of Welsh are now exploring other opportunities with the result that the school rolls have been falling to unsustainable levels. I hope the First Minister will agree that I try to be on this, if on no other issue, non-partisan and helpful, so what I would like to ask the First Minister is: in addition to the acknowledged policy, which I think is the correct one, of the Minister for Lifelong Learning in relation to the situation in Llangennech—of persuasion and cajoling, bringing parents with us and going with the grain—is it not the case that where parents want to have their children taught through the medium of Welsh, you ought to make it as easy as possible for them? Therefore, requiring children to go on a bus journey of over an hour in each direction each day is not likely to bring more parents into the net of wanting to have their children taught through the medium of Welsh. So I’m wondering what, without, perhaps, commenting on this individual case, the First Minister can do to make it easier for parents in the situation that we find in Brecon to have their wishes satisfied.

Well, if I can speak generally, the leader of UKIP is correct in that, in many parts of Wales, the length of the journey time to get to a Welsh-medium school puts parents off. It’s particularly true in some parts of Wales where there is a Welsh-medium primary school but there is a substantial journey to the Welsh-medium secondary school. Monmouthshire is an example that springs to mind—Ysgol y Ffin, Ysgol y Fenni—it’s a long way to Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw from there, and steps must be taken to make sure that they’re able to access secondary education, particularly, more locally. Generally, local authorities have to produce their Welsh in education strategic plans. We look at those plans and, if we judge them to be inadequate, then we do not approve those plans. It is for local authorities all across Wales to show that they are providing sufficient access to Welsh-medium education in order for those plans to be effective.

The Welsh Government has an ambition to see 1 million Welsh speakers by the year 2050. Now, in order to reach that target, we need to get as many children as possible starting their education through the medium of Welsh. As you have said, it’s difficult for you to discuss this individual issue, but just as a matter of general principle, do you acknowledge that in those rural areas it costs more to get children to go to those schools? Is there any recognition of this within Government to make this possible? Because if we want to reach that target, as you said, we have to make it as easy as possible so that those parents don’t see any barriers in their way.

Well, generally, of course, the further that children have to travel to be educated, the greater the obstacle. That is true specifically of secondary schools, and that is part of the consideration we’re giving to the Welsh in education strategic plans.

As regards to the target of 1 million Welsh speakers by 2050, I won’t be in this post at that point, if I may say that, but the final document will consider the relationship between the language and economic development, and that is something that will be published this year, and, of course, the situation of education will be considered carefully as part of that whole process.

I’ve raised these issues in correspondence with the Minister around a month ago. I’ve not yet received a response, but I very much hope that I will receive a response soon. Issues of school transportation have been raised, but one thing that is problematic if you are trying to provide bilingual education in rural areas is how you actually hold events outside of school times and ensure that transport is available to arts and sports activities, and so on. So, what does the Government have to say in general in terms of that difficulty in ensuring that there is a fair option in making the choice of Welsh-medium education?

One way of ensuring that there are more activities available, for example, is to ensure that you have more Urdd branches. For example, in my area there’s one Welsh–medium secondary school and it’s in the Llynfi valley. It’s not very central to the county, but every child in the county goes there, even those that come from the Ogmore valley--they have to travel across two valleys to get there. The Urdd does hold lots of activities so that children don’t have to go to Llangynwyd every time—they can go to Bridgend or Porthcawl, which ensures that children have access to a Welsh ethos outside the school without having to travel too far.