Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople

Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for International Relations and Welsh Language – in the Senedd at 2:37 pm on 30 January 2019.

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Photo of Suzy Davies Suzy Davies Conservative 2:37, 30 January 2019

(Translated)

I’m sorry, Minister, it isn’t at all clear what 'teaching English' means in the new system. Because, as we heard from Dai Lloyd yesterday, we aren’t aware of nurseries that teach English at the moment. They use English for the sake of the well-being of children, but they don’t teach English, so I do think that we need some clarity around that issue for the future.

If I can remain on the issue of education, a few weeks ago, I raised with the education Minister the unintended consequence in Gwynedd of cuts to the education improvement grant. Part of the grant had been targeted and spent on intensive work with non-Welsh-speaking children having moved to the area, to help them acquire Welsh language skills that they need to access education within that county. Despite that, the Minister said that she was confident that the children who needed additional Welsh language skills could learn them successfully, and I do hope that she’s correct there. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child gives a right to children to education and these policies here due regard to the UNCRC. Would you be willing to work with the education Minister to satisfy yourselves that the children who need this intensive support still receive it, or ensure that there are other methods delivering the same outcomes for them? Thank you.