To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what delays have been experienced in meeting demands for Gaelic medium education in Scotland; what steps are being taken to deal with this; and if he will make a statement.
The inter-authority standing group on gaelic education has pointed to teacher supply problems as a source of occasional delay for education authorities wishing to meet local demand for Gaelic medium education. The Northern college of education offers a module in bilingual education as part of its primary teaching degree course and is able to accommodate the small number of students who wish to take it. I understand that other colleges of education are considering the introduction of similar modules. As the total number of teachers being trained increases substantially over the next few years, it is hoped that a greater number will opt to study bilingual education.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what account he has taken of public feeling, as expressed in a recent referendum, when deciding his current and future policy on borehole drilling at Dounreay; and if he will make a statement.
I set out the Government's position on radioactive waste disposal in my reply of 9 November to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) column 740. Public concern locally is certainly one of the factors which my right hon. and learned Friend will take into account when making his decision on the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority's appeal against Highland regional council's refusal to grant planning permission for test boring at Dounreay.
| Yorkshire | Humberside | North | South East | |||||
| Inclusion | Liquidation | Inclusion | Liquidation | Inclusion | Liquidation | Inclusion | Liquidation | |
| 1981 | 1,800 | 120 | 310 | 30 | 800 | 110 | 20,000 | 1,600 |
| 1987 | 4,200 | 180 | 820 | 50 | 2,500 | 170 | 71,200 | 2,200 |
| 1988 | 3,800 | 140 | 680 | 60 | 2,000 | 170 | 62,300 | 1,980 |
| 1989 (Q1) | 770 | 60 | 120 | 1— | 300 | 20 | 22,000 | 600 |
| 1— nil or negligible. | ||||||||