4. Will the First Minister make a statement on the availability of revision textbooks in our schools? OAQ53909

May I thank the Member for the question? Revision textbooks are produced by commercial publishers, and the Welsh Government works in partnership with the WJEC to secure Welsh language translations of these books. A list of available materials is circulated to schools.

The roll-out of the new curriculum will be an excellent opportunity for publishing all relevant materials in both languages from the very outset, unlike the situation as it currently stands. But the clock is ticking with that. There are some who are concerned that there won't be sufficient time for defining needs, administering tenders, commissioning, writing, trialling, designing, translating and publishing in both languages simultaneously. Will you today, therefore, give an assurance that your Government will plan carefully in order to ensure that textbooks, resources and materials will be available simultaneously in both languages, so that pupils who choose to conduct their courses through the medium of Welsh won't be disadvantaged in the future?

Well, may I thank Siân Gwenllian for that? Of course, I agree with the comments that she has made. It is not acceptable to me if revision textbooks aren't available in a timely fashion for those taking exams through the medium of Welsh, as we've heard over the past weeks. The new curriculum gives a new opportunity to plan for the future. To be clear, when the curriculum is rolled out throughout the whole of Wales, we will do it in a manner where the important materials for pupils in the schools will be available simultaneously in both languages. That is why we are doing the work in the way in which we are doing it. We will begin with the youngest children and the new curriculum will be developed year on year. That is why we are confident that we will be able to do things in the manner in which Siân Gwenllian has proposed this afternoon, and I know that the Minister has a new group that is supporting us to plan, prepare and do the important things that Siân Gwenllian has alluded to this afternoon. 

Question 5. No, I'm sorry: Darren Millar.

How could I forget you, Darren? [Laughter.]

Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, I'm sure you'll want to join me in wishing everybody every success in the GCSE exams, which are currently under way—in particular, my own son, who is taking his GCSEs this year.

You'll be aware that the Children, Young People and Education Committee published a report last year on the availability of textbooks—or should I say the lack of availability of textbooks—at that time. And we were assured as an Assembly that lessons had been learned from the mistakes that had been made about the availability of text and revision books, and yet just last week, of course, we heard, as we've already said in the Chamber this afternoon, that there were two courses in particular for which Welsh revision guides were not available. What discussions is your Government having with Qualifications Wales to make sure that those young people who didn't get the revision guides that they should have had in good time to prepare for the exams this year will not actually have their opportunities to get the best grades undermined? And how will the Welsh Government make sure that this is avoided once and for all in the future, so that we don't end up in this sort of pickle that has been two years on the run now, and is completely unacceptable?

Llywydd, can I begin by, indeed, wishing all those young people who are sitting examinations the very best of wishes in that? I had the pleasure of meeting Darren's son when he attended with the two of us an organ donation event during the passage of the Bill in front of the Assembly, so I wish him well particularly.

The Welsh Government has made real efforts, Llywydd, to correct for market failure in this area, because that's what we are doing. We spend no money in supporting English language textbooks; we provide over £3 million a year to support the provision of resources to Welsh-medium learners in this way, and we've increased this grant funding this year. I know that the Minister has written to Siân Gwenllian today to confirm that we will provide £1.25 million in this financial year, and that that will allow another 50 new titles to be provided to support qualifications, over the 40 new titles that were published in the past financial year. We work very hard with the players in the field to try to accelerate the translation of these works and to make sure that they arrive in a timely fashion.

It's not for Government, I think, Llywydd, to interfere in the way in which examinations are either conducted or assessed, but the general point that the Member makes about the need to make sure that young people who are sitting examinations through the medium of Welsh have the same opportunities to study for them, to have revision guides, and so on, is one with which we absolutely agree. The new curriculum will give us a new opportunity, as Siân suggested, to make sure that those resources rise year by year alongside the roll-out of the curriculum, and we're committed to making sure that that happens.