Proposed Welsh Language LCO Written Submission on behalf of ‘Mudiadau Dathlu’r Gymraeg – Celebrating Our Language’ an umbarella group of 17 national organisations co-working to promote the need for further legislation for the Welsh Language.

The evidence provided by ‘Mudiadau Dathlu’r Gymraeg - Celebrating Our Language’ is hereby presented to the Committee for Welsh Affairs in Westminster. We attempt to address all 8 questions posed by the Committee in the following submission, and we would welcome an opportunity to expand on the points made in this paper at any meeting convened in future.

‘Celebrating Our Language’ agree with the principle that legislation on any matters linked to the Welsh language should take place at the National Assembly for Wales. To this end, ‘Celebrating Our Language’ believe that no aspects of Welsh language legislation should remain in the hands of the Westminster Parliament if they can be moved. It is within the spirit and scope of the devolution settlement and the Government of Wales Act (2006) that this transfer of competence is realised. We believe that the LCO needs to be future-proof, allowing the Welsh Assembly Government the capacity of legislating to reflect future desires and aspirations of a fair and bilingual Wales.

We feel it is important to progress beyond the argument regarding the need to legislate on the Welsh language in the Assembly, and concentrate our efforts on ensuring that the Legislative Competence Order encompasses as much as possible, so that we do not have to repeat this prolonged process when producing a series of measures for the Welsh language in future.

‘Celebrating Our Language’ believe that it is the right of the Welsh Assembly to legislate on the Welsh language. A rational conclusion stemming from that belief is that the Assembly should outline, following wide-ranging consultation, which public services should be available bilingually. As outlined in the explanatory Memorandum by the Welsh Assembly Government, there is a desire to invest “in a programme of action to deliver efficient, effective, citizen centred public services” (p.4). If so, all public services, in whichever sector they are provided, should be included in the Order.

The Assembly is responsible for ensuring transparent rights, so that the citizens of Wales can use the Welsh language with each other. ‘Celebrating Our Language’ believe that this basic principle should not be subject to any restrictions. ‘Celebrating Our Language’ believe that legislation must continue to focus on users, namely the citizens of Wales. By so doing, it could reasonably be argued that the main services in all sectors with which the public engage on a day to day basis should be encompassed by the LCO, rather than solely the regulated organisations. In this respect, supermarkets, banks and international private companies should be considered just as important as utilities to users in Wales. In our opinion, any future act should also include these kinds of companies.

Celebrating Our Language believe that the positive declaration made by the One Wales Government regarding the need to ensure rights and official status for the Welsh language, and the creation of a Welsh Language Commissioner, is to be commended. However, we must ensure that this is not limited to rhetoric. Ensuring official status for the Welsh language should be a core principle which permeates all other legislation relating to the Welsh language. It should also have a far-reaching impact on considerations in other fields, thereby ensuring that measures in other areas confirm the One Wales Government’s commitment to safeguarding the linguistic rights of the people of Wales. Concurrently, the creation of a Welsh Language Commissioner should ensure far-reaching developments in the means of regulating legislation on the Welsh language. When discussing the concept of individual rights in Wales, those rights must extend into all sectors, including much of the private sector, otherwise it could be argued that the LCO will restrict Welsh citizens’ rights rather than securing new ones.

We are confident that the Welsh Affairs Committee, along with our Welsh MPs will support, in concurrence with the Government of Wales Act 2006, that competence to legislate over the matter of the Welsh Language is transfered to the Welsh Assembly, and that the people of Wales can self determine legislation to ensure status, rights, and a Welsh Language Commisioner.

Mudiadau Dathlu’r Gymraeg - Celebrating Our Language Mawrth 2009 – March 2009

Mudiadau Dathlu’r Gymraeg/ Celebrating Our Language includes: Friends of the Earth, Cymdeithas Alawon Gwerin/ Folk Music Society, Cymdeithas y Cymod/ The Fellowship of Reconciliation in Wales, The Association of Welsh Translators and Interpreters, CYDAG/Society for Welsh medium Education, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg/The Welsh Language Society, Cymuned, The National Eisteddfod, Mentrau Iaith Cymru, Merched y Wawr, Young Farmers Clubs Wales, RHAG – Parents for Welsh Language Education, UCAC/National Union of Teachers in Wales, Aberystwyth Welsh-speaking Students’ Union, Bangor Welsh-speaking Students’ Union, FUW – Farmers Union Wales, Urdd Gobaith Cymru - children and young people organisation with over 50,000 members under 25’. [email protected] www.dathlu.org