Welsh Language Act - Now's The Time

Ieuan Wyn Jones AM (Plaid Cymru Leader)

The first thing that needs to be done… is t to ensure official status for the Welsh language in a new act. The symbolism of this step is hugely important. This would be the most important step to obliterate from memory the aim of the Act of Union to kill the Welsh language. Restoring the language’s dignity to its rightful place in the life of Wales would be an important part of the process of restoring its use in all areas of Wales…

The time has come after over 60 years of legislation concerning the language, to acknowledge the civil rights of Welsh speakers and to do that in the eyes of the law. Language Rights make it clear to the public what is the nature of the service they can expect…

Then it’s important to establish the office of Language Commissioner, a person who has pro-active as well as reactive powers…

Wales has waited a long-time to ensure official status for her language, and the people of Wales have waited too long for the right to service in Welsh in their own country. It’s a matter of self-respect as well as acknowledging the civil rights of Welsh speakers. Wales is our country and the Welsh language, with her treasure and history, her oral and written culture belongs to everybody who lives here.

Eleanor Burnham (Welsh Liberal Democrats)

We are committed to extending language act obligations to those public services no longer within the public sector - that should be definite first step to increase the level of services available in Welsh.

There must then follow a full debate, engaging sectors, communities and organisations across Wales about how to take language rights forward. The rights based agenda set out by language board is a new and interesting course that the Welsh Lib Dems will take forward. As a liberal, I think it's correct that we see the development and promotion of opportunities to use Welsh within the broad area of civil rights.

The merger of the language board with the Assembly Government will leave language promotion and rights in a state of flux. We will look at the idea that there should be a strong Commissioner for the Welsh Language. A commissioner that promotes and defines the right to use the language in dealing with public bodies, and the right to Welsh-medium education and to learn the language.

Lisa Francis (Welsh Conservatives)

The current legislation does not address clear language rights for the public and, therefore, the time is now right for a detailed discussion on recognising the rights of the speakers of both our national languages…

There must be clarity about what language users can expect, which could, in turn, promote the practical use of Welsh by the public and, importantly, would lead to raising the confidence of language users.

One of the major weaknesses in the current Welsh language legislation is that it does not place a duty on bodies to provide information to the Welsh Language Board as part of any statutory investigation into the implementation of language schemes.

Lord Gwilym Prys Davies (Welsh Labour)

If the language is to live, we see how essential it is that we move on swiftly to update and strengthen the 1993 Welsh Language Act: to strengthen the language’s status in public administration and services; to give language rights to Welsh speakers who wish to speak it in their daily lives and to Welsh speaking communities; to increase the provision of Welsh medium schools, to create centres to verify and standardise Welsh language terms in new fields and to establish a statutory Commissioner to be a constitutional guardian of the Welsh language.

I believe that gaining this legislation is the biggest problem facing Wales at the start of a new century.

A message to a meeting discussing a New Welsh Language Act, in the Millennium Centre, Cardiff on January 24th 2006

Dr Robyn Lewis (Barrister, former solicitor and former deputy judge)

In a situation where the Welsh language is by now a minority language, and everybody able to speak English, it would be a total deception to dare to allege that languages have equal status. When English has compulsory status, de jure de facto, and Welsh to all intent and purposes an optional language only, the deterioration can only continue, whatever the politicians, lawyers and other apologists say.

In my opinion the bull should be grasped by the horns and the Welsh language made compulsory in administration, in law, in business and industry, and in education. It is only through legislation – and that strong legislation – that that can be achieved.

The present failing in the powers and capabilities to cause the use of Welsh in her own country prove clearly that it is a new Welsh Language Act, and not any policies or good will, which is necessary. And once the essential rights have been acquired, they must be put into practice.

Elfyn Llwyd MP (Plaid Cymru Member of Parliament, Meirionydd Nant Conwy)

Thank you for the opportunity to show my support for Cymdeithas yr Iaith’s call for a comprehensive and contemporary new act for the Welsh language.

As one who was a member of the standing committee on the original Measure, I was aware at the time that there were integral and basic flaws in that Measure, and without doubt legislation is needed to bring the private sector within the rules.

The need also is greater because of the Government’s intentions to do away with the Welsh Language Board by creating a Government Department in Cardiff. We need a strong adjudicator.

Dr Meredydd Evans (Former BBC Wales Head of Light Entertainment)

It’s high time to reform the present Welsh Language Act and reforming does not mean arranging for the present Assembly Government to take over the administration of the Welsh Language Board. As a firm basis of any satisfactory Language Act there must be a decleration of the principle that Welsh is an official lanbguage iN Wales and there must also be suitable provision to meet the changes in communication media that have come over recent years. As an aspect of efficient devolution we expect the Assembly as a whole to debate in critical detail the relevance of the present Welsh Language Act to the contemporary situation of the Welsh language.

Jill Evans MEP (Plaid Cymru MEP)

I’d like to send a word of support for Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg to wish you well in your campaign for a New Welsh Language Act. The campaign has gone from strength to strength, and I congratulate you for continuing to campaign as energetically and enthusiastically as ever! It’s now all-important that Cymdeithas yr Iaith, and all those who are calling for a new Language Act, target the Labour Party more than ever to show the need for a New Welsh Language Act. We in Plaid Cymru are campaigning for a New Welsh Language Act, and through my work as a Member in the European Parliament I am campaigning for official status for the language in Europe – a campaign to ensure that Welsh is a vibrant, working language. I wish to fully support the campaign this year, and I very much hope that 2006 will be the year of the New Language Act.

Dafydd Wigley (Plaid Cymru honorary President)

The present act was insufficient back in 1993 – that is why Plaid Cymru MP’s voted against it. By now it is even more out of date. We need an act based on rights – and the National Assembly need to be given the Right THIS YEAR to be able to draw up new legislation for the Welsh language, including the basic right of every child in Wales to Welsh-medium education within distance of their homes. And if the Government of Wales is intent on destroying the Language Board, rather than strengthening it and making it more independent of Government, then we need a new body – a commission, Ombudsman or whatever – at arms length from government, to defend the rights of Welsh speakers; and that firmly based in legislation.

Leanne Wood AC (Plaid Cymru - South Wales Central)

I fully support Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg’s campaign for a New Language Act. We cannot accept anything less that official status for the Welsh language in Wales. The real test for the political parties now is to do more than just talk. If they are not prepared to include support for the Assembly’s Measure for the language in their 2007 Manifesto, then we will know that they are not committed to the language. We must see large companies, like Starbucks and Dixons, showing respect for ‘Iaith Pawb’. One thing I would like to see Cymdeithas yr Iaith doing is to target non-Welsh speakers in Wales because I believe that there is support across the country that we aren’t utilising. We must make sure that the argument for fairness and justice for the Welsh language is explained to the people who don’t speak Welsh.

Dewi Watkin Powell (Former High-Court Judge)

I’m very happy to hear that Cymdeithas are holding a special meeting to promote the call for a New Language Act.

Despite the importance of the Language Acts of 1967 and 1993, there are gaping holes in the law which claims to give equal status to Welsh according that law as is given to English. It’s high time to close those loopholes. This is not a matter of sentiment and neither is it a matter which can be treated asdrawing your hand over the head of a biting dog. It’s a matter of elementary justice for a nation where the Welsh language is the cornerstone of our heritage. If the Westminster Parliament and Government will it they can make good all the wrongs.

Eileen Beasley (Welsh Rosa Parks)

A word to declare my support for your campaign for a New Welsh Language Act. I wish you every success in this important campaign. Thank you for persevering; things will improve before long.

Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, Pen Roc, Rhodfa’r Môr, Aberystwyth, SY23 2AZ
Ffôn +44 (0)1970 624501 · Ffacs +44 (0)1970 627122