The expansion is spread across the whole sector, with the number of Gaelic-language primary schools rising from 45 to 55, secondary schools from nine to 12, and nursery schools from three to 10 between 1993 and 1998.

However, there has been a slight decrease in the numbers of pupils studying Gaelic at standard and higher levels.

This growing number of Gaelic-speaking pupils, Brian Wilson said, "should have expectations from the education system that are on a par with those of their English-speaking counterparts".

To make this possible, the minister said good quality students needed to be attracted to Gaelic-language teacher training courses, so that staff would be available for a wide range of subjects taught through Gaelic.

Need for teachers

At present, he said, there were "competing claims for the attention of Gaelic-speaking young people," which made it difficult to attract student teachers. This recruitment problem was being addressed, he said, by Scottish Office-funded publicity material.

Gaelic-language education is most widely available in primary schools, but the minister called for a "continuum from pre-school through to tertiary education".

In support of this the Scottish Office Education and Industry Department has spent £300,000 on encouraging pre-school Gaelic language classes. The department is also setting up an in-service training course for Gaelic-speaking secondary subject teachers.