Welsh language ‘marginal’ to government growth deals
Emily Price
New findings from a review of economic development policy documents have highlighted a lack of consideration of the Welsh language in the process of developing growth deals across Wales.
The research by Aberystwyth University academic, Dr Huw Lewis, found that regional growth deals across north and west Wales have given only “marginal” consideration to the Welsh language to date.
City and growth deals are funding packages that aim to support growth, create jobs or invest in specific local areas.
Their development and implementation is led by consortia of local authorities, while core funding is provided by the UK Government and the Welsh Government.
Deals
Dr Lewis’s research findings also suggest that no serious consideration has been given to the work of the ARFOR program to date as part of the development of the growth deals.
ARFOR was a joint initiative by Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Gwynedd and Anglesey Councils that looked to develop the economy to support the strongholds of the Welsh language, which ended in March this year.
In a recent response to the report of the Commission for Welsh-speaking Communities, the Welsh Government declared that it will “consider opportunities to mainstream linguistic planning policy within wider economic policy”.
The growth deals are currently the subject of an inquiry by the Senedd’s Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee.
‘Marginal’
Dr Huw Lewis from Aberystwyth University’s Department of International Politics said: “Although ARFOR was designed with specific language objectives in mind, it is only one economic program – and a relatively small one – from among a range of different initiatives.
“Moreover, it is likely that the long-term impact of other initiatives, such as the City and Growth Deals, are much more far-reaching than anything that can reasonably be expected from the ARFOR programme, given the much greater levels of public and private investment involved.
“Yet, thus far, it seems that the Welsh language has only been a marginal consideration in the development of these initiatives.
“If we want to fully understand the extent to which consideration of the Welsh language is integrated into the process of creating economic development policy, it is crucial that we do not focus solely on ARFOR.
“We need to consider the extent to which consideration of the Welsh language is also integrated in the process of shaping other economic development initiatives which are much larger and more long-term.
“More specifically, we should look at the extent to which other key economic development strategies or initiatives, such as the regional growth and city deals, have considered their potential to support areas which have a high density of Welsh speakers or to facilitate more use of the Welsh language on a day-to-day basis.”
Improvement
Dr Lewis’ study also found that there has been a gradual improvement in the level of consideration for the Welsh language in the Welsh Government’s economic development strategies during the period between 2002-21.
However, the research shows that this trend changed in 2023 when the Government’s latest strategy was published.
Dr Huw Lewis from Aberystwyth University added: “The prospects for languages such as Welsh can be influenced by decisions across all policy areas.
“The research findings show a clear difference between the level of consideration given to the Welsh language in the economic strategies published by the Welsh Government compared to the key documents produced when developing the north Wales, mid Wales and south west Wales growth or city deals.
“At that growth deal level, the language was peripheral to the policy.
“Given how important the economy is to the future prospects of the Welsh language it is hoped that the findings from this research can facilitate further discussion on how to mainstream the language into all economic development programs overseen by the Welsh Government and our local authorities.”
The research was conducted as part of the work program of an 18-month research tender in which researchers from the Center for Welsh for Politics and Society at Aberystwyth University have collaborated with Wavehill to review and evaluate the work of the ARFOR II programme.
The Welsh Government was invited to comment.
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Of course, because it’s at the very bottom of the list, under safeguarding various species of mosses and so forth. All the unionist Labour Welsh Government want is a homogenous English speaking Wales, with a million people who can say ‘Bora da dw i’n hoffi coffi hahahah”. And we all know that the only real worthwhile language in the world is English, don’t we?
Labour is no friend of Wales or the Welsh language. It’s our enemy. The evidence is all around us. The wasteful policies that promise so much but end up doing very little. Their lethargic, pernicious at times, lackluster attitude regarding the Welsh language to standing up for Wales interests at Westminster. Thankfully Welsh Labour’s time in government is coming to an end. Wales desperately need change. Not more of the same false dawns. Sadly under both English Conservative and Welsh/English Labour misrule our economy & country has stagnated. We deserve better governance as a people and Wales more respect. #Ymlaen… Read more »
Agree I fail to understand how Plaid spent so many years in the same bed as them.
Be interesting to see the Welsh Language commissioner’s take on this. Wales should be proud that we keep our ‘Iaith yn fyw’, whilst ancient Irish is extinct, Manx is extinct, Cornish is barely hanging in there and Brittany. We have to keep it alive to honour our ancestors and to keep our sense of identity and pride alive.