First, can I declare an interest? I have a daughter who attends Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bryn Tawe and a granddaughter attending Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Tan-y-lan.

I welcome the report and the commitment of the Welsh Government and the Minister to the Welsh language. I believe that education is the key to the continuation of Welsh as a community language. I am pleased with the growth of Welsh-medium education, especially in south Wales, led by Labour-controlled local authorities. As the First Minister said earlier today in answer to a question from Jeremy Miles, the area speaking Welsh has been moving up the Swansea valley—perhaps leaving Craig-cefn-parc and bits of Pontarddulais behind—for some considerable time. That’s something we need first to halt and then to reverse, returning Welsh to the community language throughout the Swansea valley. My wife can tell you about when she was young and in school—that in Ynystawe, where I live, Welsh was the language of the community. It’s sadly no longer so.

I’ve three questions relating to local government and the Welsh language. Two of these—the Minister’s going to say—don’t actually fall into his portfolio, so, apologies for that. Firstly, what is being done to ensure that parents have the opportunity of Welsh medium, when their children are in Flying Start? That’s the beginning of education for very many children, and if they’re put into an English-medium Flying Start the likelihood is they’ll go through English-medium education right the way through. I think it’s important that that opportunity is available. I’ve had to take up cases on behalf of constituents, which have eventually got them into a Welsh-medium Flying Start, but they’ve had to put an awful lot of effort into doing it whereas, actually, it should be a matter of individual choice.

Secondly, what is being done to ensure sufficient provision of Welsh-medium schools available in each local authority area? Thirdly, whilst I find it very difficult to speak Welsh in a political and technical environment, some who’ve been taught through the medium of Welsh know some technical words only in Welsh. Are all local authorities in Wales answering correspondence through the medium of Welsh as quickly as correspondence in English?