1. How is the Government supporting the work of the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol? OQ58054

It was an honour to attend the coleg's tenth birthday celebration last week. I'm pleased to be able to commit to providing additional funding to the coleg to increase the proportion of apprenticeships and Welsh-medium further education. This is being done in collaboration with Cefin Campbell, the Plaid Cymru designated Member, as part of the co-operation agreement between the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru.

Thank you, Minister. In his speech in the Senedd to mark the tenth anniversary of the coleg, Dr Ioan Matthews, the chief executive, referred to the large number of Welsh speakers studying in universities across Wales who still don't make that choice to study part of their degree through the medium of Welsh. It's clear that there's still a challenge in terms of encouraging students to study their subjects through the medium of Welsh, and according to the coleg this is particularly true when it comes to scientific subjects. It appears that one of the main reasons is that the sciences aren't taught through the medium of Welsh in every Welsh-medium school. According to lecturers, once a pupil has changed their language of study to English, it's difficult to convince them to study through the medium of Welsh at university, which, of course, creates a vicious circle in terms of teachers who qualify in the sciences who are able to teach through the medium of Welsh. Does the Minister agree that we need intervention to increase the provision through the medium of Welsh at A-level if we are to increase the number of students who go on to study the sciences through the medium of Welsh at university, and then who are going to train as teachers in secondary schools in the sciences? Will the Minister commit to undertake a survey to find out what the situation is within our Welsh-medium schools in terms of provision in the sciences? Thank you.

Thank you for the question. We know what the situation is. There is a need to recruit more teachers who can teach science subjects through the medium of Welsh, and we have plans to do so through financial incentives to incentivise people and draw people into the profession to teach through the medium of Welsh. So, the question of continuity that the Member talks about is vital, I think, and, of course, there is a further budget going to the coleg Cymraeg that is going to be able to support that to ensure that that happens also. By now, some 34 out of 35 subject areas in our universities are available through the medium of Welsh and the coleg is doing very innovative work, for example, in veterinary sciences, paramedicine and other areas with a science basis. So, I'm looking forward to the next decade of their work and we're ready to do as much as we can to support their work.

Minister, one of the key areas of work that needs to be addressed in our Welsh language strategies is the provision of Welsh-medium medical training, particularly up in north Wales. The Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol have been doing invaluable work here in south Wales supporting doctoral students and providing subject grants to Cardiff and Swansea. Minister, what discussions have you had with the college about the role they play in delivering Welsh-medium medical training at the north Wales medical school to make it a truly national service? Thank you.

Well, we look forward to supporting the coleg Cymraeg in expanding its reach through all parts of the higher education system in Wales, including those to which the Member refers in his question. The resources available to the coleg Cymraeg will be significantly extended as a consequence of the work that we're doing jointly with Plaid Cymru under the co-operation agreement, and it's in many of the areas with medical foundation, if you like, where some of the most innovative work that the coleg has been doing is most evident. So, I mentioned some of them in my answer to Sioned Williams a moment ago.