Explanatory note

These Regulations which revoke and replace the Education (Welsh Medium Teacher Training Incentive Supplement) Regulations 1988 empower the Secretary of State to pay training supplements to persons undergoing training as teachers to facilitiate and encourage their training to teach subjects in Welsh as well as in English (regulation 4). This note briefly explains the Regulations and the main changes from the earlier ones.

To be eligible for a supplement, a person must not previously have completed a course of initial teacher training, must have been accepted for the course and must satisfy the Secretary of State of his commitment to teaching in schools in Wales, (not just secondary schools as in the earlier Regulations).

Claims for payment of a supplement are to be made in such form and with such particulars as the Secretary of State may determine (regulation 5).

The Secretary of State may determine further conditions, or amend such further conditions, on the fulfilment of which the payment of a supplement shall be dependent (regulation 6).

The supplements are tenable only in respect of full-time courses of initial teacher training leading to the degree of Bachelor of Education or to a Post-Graduate Certificate of Education, designed to prepare persons to teach subjects in Welsh as well as in English (regulation 7). Under the earlier Regulations supplements were tenable only in respect of courses leading to a Post-Graduate Certificate of Education.

A supplement is for the normal duration of the course in respect of which it is granted but, in certain circumstances, the period may be extended or payment of the supplement may be suspended or terminated (regulation 8). Under the earlier Regulations the supplement was paid at the fixed rate of £1,200. Under the current Regulations it is to be paid at a rate not exceeding that amount (regulation 9).