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The Ministry of Defence spends approximately £1m annually to place children to independent educational institutions in north Wales because "state schools teach various lessons in the Welsh tongue".

It paid £1,019,000 in educational stipend in north Wales for 83 children of service personnel in 2024-2025, and £942,000 for 79 children in the previous year under a established policy.

An official representative said "service children can face regular relocations" and the stipend "aims to minimize disruption to their schooling".

Plaid Cymru called it a "total misuse of funds" and "a disrespect to our tongue" while the Conservatives argued families should be able to choose the medium in which their kids are taught.

The figures were acquired following a request under the public records law.

The website of the military installation on the island informs its workforce, "if you live and serve in north Wales, where state schools teach various lessons in the Welsh tongue, you can opt to enroll your children to an English-medium private institution".

"Provided you are joined by your family at your duty station, you can utilize this benefit to cover the expense of school charges, educational excursions/residential educational courses and daily transport."

A defense ministry representative explained, "the aim of the educational stipend in the northern region (the allowance) is to assist service families posted to the region, where the Welsh tongue is the primary medium of public schooling".

"Since relocation is a part of military career, military kids can encounter regular transfers and the DSA-NW aims to minimize interference to their education."

"The MoD supports the sacrifices military members, and their families make, and from the stipend assists with the expenses of private education given in English."

'Where teaching is bilingual or non-English'

The allowance includes school costs up to a limit of £22,755 a year, £7,585 each semester, and is available to people residing in the counties of the county, the area, Gwynedd, Anglesey or Flintshire and working in one of the following establishments:

• The military base, Anglesey
• The combined forces alpine training facility, the island
• Joint Services Mountain Training Wing, the town
• The university military training program (UOTC), Bangor unit, the city

The qualifying private schools are Treffos school, Llansadwrn, Anglesey; Rydal Penrhos preparatory institution in the town; St Gerard's, Bangor and St David's College, Llandudno.

The relevant military policy document confirms that "payment of the stipend is limited to those areas where teaching in the public system is on a dual-language or non-English foundation".

People stationed elsewhere in the multiple services of the armed forces - the ground forces, the naval service and the Royal Air Force - can claim a continuity of education allowance which helps with residential and/or school charges up to a maximum rate, with a minimum parental contribution of ten percent for each qualifying student.

Welsh Conservative Senedd member the politician said "personnel of the British armed forces move around the country and the world, and the MoD has always tried to ensure that their children have access to continuity in education".

"While we strongly endorse Welsh-language teaching across the country, it's crucial to remember there are two official languages in our country, English and Welsh, and municipal authorities and education authorities should provide for both."

"Parents should always have the option to select the medium in which their children are instructed."

Plaid Cymru's learning representative Cefin Campbell MS said "not only is this a complete waste of funding, it is a slight to our tongue".

"It's hard to imagine any valid reason to be spending these funds every year, on blocking young people residing in Wales from having the opportunity to learn the Welsh tongue."

"Dual-language ability enriches experience and supports the growth of youth, but the UK government is clearly unaware to this."

"These funds is a clear illustration of the approach of the Westminster parties towards the nation and the native tongue - namely ignorance and insults."