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Welsh Language

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of children received their education in the primary education sector through the medium of Welsh (a) within Wales as a whole and (b) by constituency, in each year since 1980. [135688]

Mr. Hanson: Figures for Wales are available only from the academic year 1985-86. At the constituency level, they are available only from 1996-97. Responsibility for education transferred to the National Assembly for Wales on 1 July 1999.

6 Nov 2000 : Column: 34W

Available information is set out in the tables:

Percentage of primary school pupils in classes where Welsh is thesole or main medium of instruction--Wales

Year	Percentage
1985-86	11.7
1986-87	11.9
1987-88	12.2
1988-89	12.5
1989-90	13.5
1990-91	14.1
1991-92	16.0
1992-93	16.6
1993-94	16.4
1994-95	17.1
1995-96	17.2
1996-97	17.2
1997-98	17.7
1998-99	17.7

Constituencies	1996-97	1997-98	1998-99
Ynys Mon	66.7	68.1	65.7
Caernarfon	100.0	100.0	100.0
Conwy	43.7	42.6	36.4
Clwyd, West	23.0	22.5	23.0
Vale of Clwyd	14.0	13.6	13.8
Delyn	13.5	12.8	12.3
Alyn and Deeside	0.9	0.9	1.0
Wrexham	9.6	9.9	9.2
Clwyd, South	13.3	14.2	14.6
Meirionnydd Nant Conwy	88.4	97.5	89.5
Montgomeryshire	19.0	19.3	19.3
Brecon and Radnorshire	8.6	8.6	8.3
Ceredigion	72.1	72.0	71.2
Preseli Pembrokeshire	20.9	21.4	21.9
West Carmarthen and South Pembrokeshire	17.4	17.2	17.6
East Carmarthen and Dinefwr	69.8	70.2	71.3
Llanelli	30.0	28.8	30.3
Gower	9.2	9.0	9.2
Swansea, West	6.9	7.1	7.2
Swansea, East	5.7	6.3	6.7
Neath	24.3	24.1	24.1
Aberavon	4.9	5.1	4.9
Bridgend	7.7	7.4	7.5
Ogmore	9.9	9.9	9.8
Vale of Glamorgan	8.0	8.1	9.1
Cardiff, South and Penarth	7.0	7.3	7.4
Cardiff, Central	0.0	0.0	0.0
Cardiff, North	11.2	11.7	13.6
Cardiff, West	7.9	8.3	9.1
Pontypridd	18.3	18.5	18.3
Rhondda	14.8	15.4	16.2
Cynon Valley	13.4	13.8	14.1
Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney	9.8	9.6	10.7
Caerphilly	12.6	13.0	13.3
Islwyn	4.4	5.1	5.3
Blaenau Gwent	4.1	4.1	4.1
Torfaen	3.4	3.5	4.2
Monmouth	0.8	0.9	1.1
Newport, East	3.8	4.1	4.1
Newport, West	0.0	0.0	0.0

Source:

Welsh Office Schools Census

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of children received their education through the medium of Welsh (a) within Wales as a whole and (b) by constituency, in each year since 1980. [135687]

6 Nov 2000 : Column: 35W

Mr. Hanson: Information is not available in the form requested. Because data are not collected on the same basis from primary and secondary schools, separate tables are provided, setting out the most appropriate available indicators for each sector. Figures for primary schools are available only from the academic year 1985-86. In both sectors, a constituency-level breakdown is available only from 1996-97. Responsibility for education transferred to the National Assembly for Wales on 1 July 1999.

Percentage of primary school pupils in classes where Welsh isthe sole or main medium of instruction Wales

	Percentage
1985-86	11.7
1986-87	11.9
1987-88	12.2
1988-89	12.5
1989-90	13.5
1990-91	14.1
1991-92	16.0
1992-93	16.6
1993-94	16.4
1994-95	17.1
1995-96	17.2
1996-97	17.2
1997-98	17.7
1998-99	17.7

Constituencies	1996-97	1997-98	1998-99
Ynys Mon	66.7	68.1	65.7
Caernarfon	100.0	100.0	100.0
Conwy	43.7	42.6	36.4
Clwyd, West	23.0	22.5	23.0
Vale of Clwyd	14.0	13.6	13.8
Delyn	13.5	12.8	12.3
Alyn and Deeside	0.9	0.9	1.0
Wrexham	9.6	9.9	9.2
Clwyd, South	13.3	14.2	14.6
Meirionnydd Nant Conwy	88.4	97.5	89.5
Mongomeryshire	19.0	19.3	19.3
Brecon and Radnorshire	8.6	8.6	8.3
Ceredigion	72.1	72.0	71.2
Preseli Pembrokeshire	20.9	21.4	21.9
Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire	17.4	17.2	17.6
Carmarthen East and Dinefwr	69.8	70.2	71.3
Llanelli	30.0	28.8	30.3
Gower	9.2	9.0	9.2
Swansea, West	6.9	7.1	7.2
Swansea, East	5.7	6.3	6.7
Neath	24.3	24.1	24.1
Aberavon	4.9	5.1	4.9
Bridgend	7.7	7.4	7.5
Ogmore	9.9	9.9	9.8
Vale of Glamorgan	8.0	8.1	9.1
Cardiff, South and Penarth	7.0	7.3	7.4
Cardiff, Central	0.0	0.0	0.0
Cardiff, North	11.2	11.7	13.6
Cardiff, West	7.9	8.3	9.1
Pontypridd	18.3	18.5	18.3
Rhondda	14.8	15.4	16.2
Cynon Valley	13.4	13.8	14.1
Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney	9.8	9.6	10.7
Caerphilly	12.6	13.0	13.3
Islwyn	4.4	5.1	5.3
Blaeunau Gwent	4.1	4.1	4.1
Torfaen	3.4	3.5	4.2
Monmouth	0.8	0.9	1.1
Newport, East	3.8	4.1	4.1
Newport, West	0.0	0.0	0.0

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Percentage of pupils in maintained secondary schools in yeargroups 7 to 11 taught Welsh as a first language Wales

	Percentage
1979-80	9.7
1980-81	10.1
1981-82	10.1
1982-83	10.2
1983-84	10.4
1984-85	11.1
1985-86	10.7
1986-87	11.1
1987-88	11.1
1988-89	11.3
1989-90	11.6
1990-91	11.7
1991-92	11.7
1992-93	12.1
1993-94	12.1
1994-95	12.2
1995-96	12.4
1996-97	12.6
1998-88	12.8
1998-99	13.3

Constituencies	1996-97	1997-98	1998-99
Ynys Mon	44.1	48.9	51.3
Caernarfon	95.10	94.7	94.9
Conwy	33.2	32.9	34.0
Clwyd, West	6.7	8.1	8.7
Vale of Clwyd	16.7	17.4	17.0
Delyn	8.1	8.7	9.0
Alyn and Deeside	0.0	0.0	0.0
Wrexham	10.5	10.5	10.9
Clwyd, South	1.6	2.0	1.5
Meirionnydd Nant Conwy	59.6	60.0	65.5
Mongomeryshire	14.3	13.7	14.7
Brecon and Radnorshire	3.4	3.5	4.5
Ceredigion	47.8	45.2	49.0
Preseli Pembrokeshire	13.1	13.8	15.0
Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire	14.8	15.4	16.4
Carmarthen East and Dinefwr	37.9	37.0	38.1
Llanelli	16.8	17.4	17.8
Gower	16.2	16.4	17.0
Swansea, West	0.0	0.0	0.0
Swansea, East	0.0	0.0	0.0
Neath	15.6	17.1	17.7
Aberavon	0.0	0.0	0.0
Bridgend	0.0	0.0	0.0
Ogmore	21.2	20.1	19.6
Vale of Glamorgan	0.0	0.0	0.0
Cardiff, South and Penarth	0.0	0.0	0.0
Cardiff, Central	0.0	0.0	0.0
Cardiff, North	20.1	21.1	17.2
Cardiff, West	0.0	0.0	0.0
Pontypridd	14.1	13.8	13.3
Rhondda	11.8	12.8	13.3
Cynon Valley	6.0	8.9	12.0
Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney	0.0	0.0	0.0
Caerphilly	11.3	11.5	11.8
Islwyn	0.0	0.0	0.0
Blaenau Gwent	0.0	0.0	0.0
Torfaen	9.4	9.8	10.5
Monmouth	0.0	0.0	0.0
Newport, East	0.0	0.0	0.0
Newport, West	0.0	0.0	0.0

Earnings

Mr. Denzil Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the average percentage

6 Nov 2000 : Column: 37W

growth in average gross weekly earnings of full-time employees on adult rates in Wales for (a) 1997, (b) 1998 and (c) 1999. [136271]

Mr. Paul Murphy: The information requested is in the table.

Average gross weekly earnings of full-time employees on adult rates

Year	Average gross weekly earnings (£)	Year on year growth (Percentage)
1996	313.30	--
1997	330.20	5.4
1998	342.80	3.8
1999	353.60	3.2

Source:

National Statistics, New Earnings Survey

GDP Growth

Mr. Denzil Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will estimate the percentage GDP growth in Wales in (a) 1998 and (b) 1999. [136206]

Mr. Paul Murphy: GDP figures are not available for 1999. GDP at basic prices grew by 4 per cent. between 1997 and 1998.

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