8. Will the Minister make a statement on the availability of revision material for the driving theory test in Welsh? OQ57689

The Welsh Language Commissioner's office has investigated this matter. Only publications produced by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency are covered by their Welsh language scheme. So, as it stands, the revision material is not available in Welsh, but I will continue to work with the commissioner's office to seek a resolution to this.

Thank you very much. I've been trying to find a resolution to this through the DVSA and by asking for Welsh Government support for around eight years now. It is so frustrating. Quite simply, you are welcome to take your theory test through the medium of Welsh, but there is no revision material online or mock tests and so on. There's nothing available. I know of many who wanted to take their theory test in Welsh, but chose to take the English test because of this, and I can fully understand why. And I also know of some who feel that they had been disadvantaged because the test wasn't in their first language.

Now, Cai Phillips, a former Member of the Youth Parliament, got figures through a freedom of information request that show that 382 people had done the practical driving test in Welsh in 2018-19, but only 53 did the theory test in Welsh. The pattern is similar in other years. And as we have heard, the DVSA say, 'Well, it's not our responsibility; it's a matter for the private sector and there is no competition for Welsh.' But we can't leave this to market forces, we need intervention.

Now, former Ministers and the Welsh Language Commissioner, as we've heard, have said that they share my dissatisfaction with this situation, but please can we have a greater commitment than those few words, Minister, despite how positive they are, to put pressure on the DVSA and, indeed, to work on the DVSA—work with them—and not to give in until this changes, not only because it's important as a matter of principle, but also because of the practical need for these tests?

The Member says that this is frustrating, well, it is frustrating. It is a situation that causes great concern, I would say. People are going to look at the availability of Welsh revision materials when they decide how to take their tests. So, that's an obvious risk, I would say, and it's about time that the DVSA fulfilled their responsibilities and provided Welsh language materials as well. So, there is no lack of clarity in terms of what the requirement is and what the responsibility of the DVSA is in this sense.

As the Member mentioned, the issue has been discussed several times over the years, here and in other places. The attitude of the DVSA on this issue hasn't changed and, because of that, the Welsh Language Commissioner's officials want to discuss this with the Books Council of Wales to see whether there are alternative options that we can explore in this sense. The commissioner's office will discuss this with the office of the Secretary of State for Wales as well. I am eager to back the commissioner's work in this area because an investigation is under way. So, I want to collaborate with them to see what more we can do to encourage the body to improve its Welsh language services. I will be raising the issue with the deputy commissioner when I next meet her. But, it's quite clear what the responsibility of the DVSA is in this context.

Thank you, Minister.