Written Statement - Consultation on the draft regulations to make the first set of Welsh Language Standards  

In July, I announced the timetable for the first two sets of Welsh Language Standards.

Today, in line with that timetable, I am delighted to launch the draft regulations that will make the first set of standards. In drafting them, we have listened to members of the public, the organisations who will be subject to them, and the Welsh Language Commissioner, who provided feedback in the form of three reports and an advice note. A four week consultation period will follow, which will be an opportunity for everyone with an interest in the standards to have their say about the draft regulations. The consultation will draw to a close on 5 December 2014. To access the consultation documents, follow the link.

The Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 enables Welsh Ministers to draw up standards, with the purpose of setting a consistent level of service that Welsh-speakers in Wales can expect to receive. This will create clear rights, and will mean that for the first time there is a legal basis for what organisations are required to provide in Welsh.

The standards have been drafted with the aim of:

• improving the services Welsh-speakers can expect to receive from organisations in Welsh 
• increasing the use people make of Welsh-language services 
• making it clear to organisations what they need to do in terms of the Welsh language  
• ensuring that there is an appropriate degree of consistency in terms of the duties placed on bodies in the same sectors. 

The first set of standards will be laid before the Assembly in March 2015.