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New Welsh language laws expected New Welsh language laws expected
(10 minutes later)
The assembly government will publish its long awaited new laws on the Welsh language later. Details of a new law on the Welsh language is to be published by the assembly government.
The Welsh language measure is expected to place legal duties on some organisations to deliver services in Welsh. The Welsh language measure is expected to place duties on some organisations to deliver services in Welsh.
It is also expected to include plans for a new language commissioner and to confirm official status for Welsh. It is also expected to include plans for a new language commissioner and to confirm official status for the language of Welsh.
It follows two years of wrangling over devolving powers from Westminster to the assembly. It follows two years of wrangling over devolving powers from the UK government to the assembly government.
A Welsh language commissioner would be an advocate for the language and speak up for the rights of people who want to be able to use Welsh day-to-day.A Welsh language commissioner would be an advocate for the language and speak up for the rights of people who want to be able to use Welsh day-to-day.
The government promised rights so that everyone in Wales could see, hear and use the Welsh language in their day-to-day lives. We would be very disappointed if they failed to deliver that Menna Machreth, Welsh Language Society 'More rights'
The commissioner is likely to take over many responsibilities of the Welsh Language Board, but is expected to have a beefed-up regulatory role tasked with ensuring public bodies and some private companies, including telecommunications, utilities and transport firms, use Welsh.The commissioner is likely to take over many responsibilities of the Welsh Language Board, but is expected to have a beefed-up regulatory role tasked with ensuring public bodies and some private companies, including telecommunications, utilities and transport firms, use Welsh.
The role will also have powers to sanction or punish organisations if Welsh language standards are not upheld.The role will also have powers to sanction or punish organisations if Welsh language standards are not upheld.
Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones said last month that the proposed law would give "more rights" to individuals to expect Welsh services and would give "the regulatory body more powers and relevant sanctions to guarantee that what is being promised is being delivered". Deputy first minister Ieuan Wyn Jones said last month that the proposed law would give "more rights" to individuals to expect Welsh services and would give "the regulatory body more powers and relevant sanctions to guarantee that what is being promised is being delivered".
Campaigners' warning
As publication of the measure approached, language campaigners warned the government would be "breaking a promise" if it failed to deliver rights for individuals to access services in Welsh.As publication of the measure approached, language campaigners warned the government would be "breaking a promise" if it failed to deliver rights for individuals to access services in Welsh.
Chair of the Welsh Language Society (Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg) Menna Machreth said: "The government promised rights so that everyone in Wales could see, hear and use the Welsh language in their day-to-day lives. Chair of the Welsh Language Society (Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg) Menna Machreth said: "The [assembly] government promised rights so that everyone in Wales could see, hear and use the Welsh language in their day-to-day lives.
"We would be very disappointed if they failed to deliver that. It was their promise to the public after all.""We would be very disappointed if they failed to deliver that. It was their promise to the public after all."
Ms Machreth said Welsh is "in real danger as a living language" and noted that the number of communities where Welsh is the language of the community halved according to the last census.
She said: "By the end of this decade, Welsh language communities could be extinct. That's the harsh reality. And although a law cannot transform the situation on its own, it is an essential building block and will help increase people's confidence to use it.
"A language measure that treats using Welsh as a civil right, like other equalities issues, is the only sensible starting point to creating a society with two thriving languages. "