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The MoD spends around one million pounds each year to send children to independent schools in northern Wales because "public schools provide some or all lessons in the Welsh language".

The ministry disbursed £1,019,000 in educational stipend in north Wales for 83 children of service personnel in 2024-2025, and £942,000 for seventy-nine students in 2023-2024 under a longstanding policy.

A spokesperson stated "service children can face frequent moves" and the allowance "aims to reduce interruption to their education".

Plaid Cymru described it as a "total misuse of funds" and "a disrespect to our tongue" while the Tory party said parents should be able to choose the language in which their kids are taught.

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

The website of the military installation on the island informs its personnel, "if you live and serve in northern Wales, where state schools teach some or all lessons in the Welsh language, you can opt to send your kids to an English-language independent school".

"As long as you are joined by your family at your posting, you can utilize this allowance to pay for the cost of school charges, field study trips/residential learning programs and regular commuting."

An MoD spokesperson explained, "the purpose of Day School Allowance in the northern region (the allowance) is to support military households stationed to the region, where Welsh is the main language of local state education".

"As mobility is a part of service life, military kids can face regular transfers and the DSA-NW seeks to lessen disruption to their learning."

"The ministry supports the sacrifices military members, and their families make, and from DSA-NW assists with the expenses of private education provided in English."

'Where teaching is bilingual or non-English'

The allowance includes school costs up to a maximum of £22,755 annually, seven thousand five hundred eighty-five pounds per term, and is accessible to people living in the regions of the county, Denbighshire, Gwynedd, the island or Flintshire and serving in one of the following establishments:

• The military base, Anglesey
• The combined forces alpine training facility, Anglesey
• The joint military mountain unit, Llanrwst
• Wales University Officers' Training Corps (the corps), Bangor unit, Caernarfon

The eligible private schools are Treffos institution, Llansadwrn, the island; Rydal Penrhos Prep school in the town; St Gerard's, Bangor and St David's institution, Llandudno.

The applicable military policy document confirms that "payment of the stipend is restricted to those regions where teaching in the public system is on a bilingual or non-English foundation".

People serving in other locations in the three branches of the military - the Army, the Royal Navy and the air service - can apply for a continuity of education allowance which contributes towards residential and/or school charges up to a maximum rate, with a minimum parental contribution of 10% for each qualifying student.

Tory assembly representative the politician commented "members of the UK military move around the nation and the world, and the ministry has always tried to ensure that their children have availability to continuity in education".

"Although we fully support Welsh-medium education throughout the country, it's crucial to recognize there are two official languages in our nation, English and Welsh, and local councils and school boards should provide for each."

"Parents should always have the option to decide the language in which their children are taught."

The Welsh party's learning representative Cefin Campbell MS said "not only is this a total misuse of funding, it is an insult to our tongue".

"I cannot think of any justifiable cause to be allocating these funds every year, on preventing young people living in the country from having the chance to acquire the Welsh language."

"Bilingualism enriches experience and aids the growth of youth, but the British administration is obviously unaware to this."

"These funds is a clear illustration of the attitude of the UK political groups regarding the nation and the native tongue - namely unawareness and disrespect."