Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 facts for kids
|
|
| Long title | A Measure of the National Assembly for Wales to make provision about the official status of the Welsh language in Wales; to provide for a Welsh Language Partnership Council; to establish the Office of Welsh Language Commissioner; to provide for an Advisory Panel to the Welsh Language Commissioner; to make provision about promoting and facilitating the use of the Welsh language and treating the Welsh language no less favourably than the English language; to make provision about standards relating to the Welsh language (including duties to comply with those standards, and rights arising from the enforceability of those duties); to make provision about investigation of interference with the freedom to use the Welsh language; to establish a Welsh Language Tribunal; to abolish the Welsh Language Board and Welsh language schemes; and for connected purposes. |
|---|---|
| Territorial extent | Wales |
|
Status: Current legislation
|
|
The Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 is a special law made by the National Assembly of Wales. This law helps make sure that Welsh is an official language in Wales. It also created an important new job: the Welsh Language Commissioner.
Contents
What the Welsh Language Measure Does
The Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 states that Welsh and English are both official languages in Wales. This means the Welsh language should be treated just as well as the English language. The law also makes sure that public organisations in Wales must follow certain rules about using Welsh. This allows people to live their lives using Welsh if they want to.
The Welsh Language Commissioner
This law created the job of the Welsh Language Commissioner. This new role took over from the old Welsh Language Board. The Commissioner's main job is to help more people use Welsh. They also make sure Welsh is treated fairly, just like English. The Commissioner can look into problems if someone feels their freedom to use Welsh has been stopped. An advisory panel helps the Commissioner with their work.
Welsh Language Standards and Tribunal
The Measure also introduced new "Welsh standards" for how organisations should use the language. These standards are slowly replacing older rules from the Welsh Language Act 1993. Only certain organisations must follow these standards. If an organisation doesn't follow the rules, the Commissioner can investigate. If someone disagrees with the Commissioner's decision, they can challenge it at the Welsh Language Tribunal. This Tribunal was also created by the 2011 Measure.
Welsh Language Partnership Council
The law also set up a group called the Welsh Language Partnership Council. This council gives advice to the Welsh Government. They help the government decide on its plans for the Welsh language.
How the Measure Came About
On December 7, 2010, the Welsh Assembly agreed to new plans to help the Welsh language grow. Everyone in the Assembly voted yes. Then, on February 9, 2011, this plan became law. This made Welsh an officially recognised language in Wales.
The new law did several important things:
- It confirmed that Welsh is an official language.
- It created a new way to make organisations offer services in Welsh.
- It set up the Welsh Language Commissioner. This person has strong powers to protect the rights of Welsh speakers. They make sure people can get services in Welsh.
- It created the Welsh Language Tribunal.
- It gave people and organisations the right to challenge decisions about Welsh language services.
- It created the Welsh Language Partnership Council. This group advises the government on its Welsh language plans.
- It allowed the Welsh Language Commissioner to investigate if someone tries to stop Welsh speakers from using the language with each other.
This law means that public organisations and some private companies must offer services in Welsh. Alun Ffred Jones, who was a government minister at the time, was very happy. He said the Welsh language makes people in Wales proud. He believed everyone who wants to use Welsh services should be able to. He called the law an important and historic step for the language and for Wales.
Not everyone who supported the Welsh language was completely happy. Bethan Williams, who led the Welsh Language Society (Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg), said it was a mixed result. She was glad that Welsh got official status. But she felt the law didn't give Welsh speakers rights in every part of their lives. Still, she noted that many Assembly Members supported adding more rights, which was a good step forward.
The first Welsh Language Commissioner was Meri Huws. She started the job on October 5, 2011. She used to be in charge of the Welsh Language Board. Later, Aled Roberts was the Commissioner from 2019 to 2022. In October 2022, Efa Gruffudd Jones was chosen to be the new Welsh Language Commissioner. She started her role in January 2023.
See also
