Welsh Language Commissioner calls for expanded standards

The Welsh Language Commissioner will call for Welsh language standards to be expanded as she marks a decade since their introduction at the National Eisteddfod today (Monday, 3 August).

Efa Gruffudd Jones’ call is for the next decade to be used to expand and strengthen the standards in order to respond to new challenges and support the Cymraeg 2050 aspirations.

According to the Commissioner, Welsh language standards have been crucial in ensuring a consistency among Welsh language services across the public sector;

“Over the last ten years the Standards have made a real difference to the Welsh language services available to the people of Wales. They have helped to ensure greater consistency in Welsh language provision and have offered clarity regarding the rights of service users.

“The Standards also give me the necessary powers to investigate complaints and take action when organisations fail to fulfil their duties.

“Our aim always is to ensure improvement. But when I don’t have confidence that an organisation is taking the necessary steps to restore and maintain compliance, I will use the powers available to me as Commissioner. That’s the impact of the Welsh language standards.”

However, although improvements have been seen over the last decade, Efa Gruffudd Jones stressed that there is still work to be done.

“The Standards have undoubtedly transformed Welsh language provision across much of the public sector,” she will say. “But some of the most important services that people use on a day-to-day basis, including those of the Department for Work and Pensions and His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, remain outside the scope of the Standards.

“That is why we are calling on the Welsh Government to act on its commitment to extend the scope of the Standards to include more organisations and sectors. The last decade has shown that this is the most effective framework we have to protect the rights of Welsh speakers and ensure consistent Welsh language services.

“There is also a great opportunity over the coming months as the Welsh Government reviews the Standards. In our view, the framework for community language planning needs to be strengthened in order to support Welsh-speaking communities across Wales.

“In addition, there is a need to give more attention to the role of workplaces in increasing the daily use of Welsh. If we are to see more people confidently using the Welsh language in their daily lives, we must ensure that the Standards evolve to reflect those challenges.

“The first ten years of the Standards have shown that they work. Now is the time to build on that success.”

In the autumn the Welsh Language Commissioner will hold a national conference which will bring organisations together to discuss the future of Welsh language promotion strategies, and how they could contribute more effectively to increasing the use of the Welsh language in communities.

At today’s Eisteddfod event, the Commissioner will be joined by the Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language, Anna Brychan MS, who has already indicated that she wants to see the Standards expanded.

Also on the discussion panel will be Nia Williams, Director of Experience, Learning and Engagement at Amgueddfa Cymru along with the Deputy Welsh Language Commissioner, Osian Llywelyn.

According to Nia Williams, Amgueddfa Cymru has benefited from coming under the Standards: “What the Standards offer is clear guidance about what is expected in terms of the provision of Welsh language services.

“Without the Standards, it would be difficult to ensure consistency across the public sector and we support the Commissioner’s calls to see them expanded to other sectors for the benefit of the Welsh language.”

The event will take place at 11am. in the Cymdeithasau Pavilion and will be chaired by presenter and broadcaster Nest Jenkins.

The Welsh Language Commissioner will have a presence at the National Eisteddfod and anyone is welcome to drop in. More information is available here.

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