Government of Wales Bill

moved Amendment No. 36:"After Clause 77, insert the following new clause—" ““THE WELSH LANGUAGE (1)   The Welsh Ministers must adopt a strategy (““the Welsh language strategy””) setting out how they propose to promote and facilitate the use of the Welsh language. (2)   The Welsh Ministers must adopt a scheme (““the Welsh language scheme””) specifying measures which they propose to take, for the purpose mentioned in subsection (3), as to the use of the Welsh language in connection with the provision of services to the public in Wales by them, or by others who— (a)   are acting as servants or agents of the Crown, or (b)   are public bodies (within the meaning of Part 2 of the Welsh Language Act 1993 (c. 38)). (3)   The purpose referred to in subsection (2) is that of giving effect, so far as is both appropriate in the circumstances and reasonably practicable, to the principle that in the conduct of public business in Wales the English and Welsh languages should be treated on a basis of equality. (4)   The Welsh Ministers— (a)   must keep under review both the Welsh language strategy and the Welsh language scheme, and (b)   may from time to time adopt a new strategy or scheme or revise them. (5)   Before adopting or revising a strategy or scheme, the Welsh Ministers must consult such persons as they consider appropriate. (6)   The Welsh Ministers must publish the Welsh language strategy and the Welsh language scheme when they first adopt it and— (a)   if they adopt a new strategy or scheme they must publish it, and (b)   if they revise the Welsh language strategy or the Welsh language scheme (rather than adopting a new strategy or scheme) they must publish either the revisions or the strategy or scheme as revised (as they consider appropriate). (7)   If the Welsh Ministers publish a strategy or scheme, or revisions, under subsection (6) they must lay a copy of the strategy or scheme, or revisions, before the Assembly. (8)   After each financial year the Welsh Ministers must publish a report of— (a)   how the proposals set out in the Welsh language strategy were implemented in that financial year and how effective their implementation has been in promoting and facilitating the use of the Welsh language, and (b)   how the proposals set out in the Welsh language scheme were implemented in that financial year, and must lay a copy of the report before the Assembly.”” The noble Lord said: My Lords, in moving Amendment No. 36, I shall speak to Amendment No. 116. During our debates on this Bill, we have heard many cogent and persuasive arguments from all sides of the House about the rare opportunity that this Bill presents with regard to the Welsh language. Those arguments have been powerfully and passionately expressed, and the Government have listened carefully to the points that noble Lords have made. Having reflected carefully on those arguments, I am very pleased to be able to bring forward Amendments Nos. 36 and 116, which show that the Government are listening to reasonable concerns expressed during debate in the House. The concern expressed, in particular by my noble friend Lord Prys-Davies, was that the current good practice of the Welsh Assembly Government in respect of the Welsh language would not be safeguarded in the future. The Government therefore propose to put the current good practice on a statutory footing. The requirement to adopt a strategy setting out how the Welsh Ministers propose to promote and facilitate the use of the Welsh language corresponds to Iaith Pawb, the national action plan for a bilingual Wales. The requirement will adopt a strategy to complement, as my noble friend Lord Prys-Davies himself argued in Committee, the function of promoting and facilitating the use of the Welsh language. This will continue to be a requirement of Welsh Ministers, whether they acquire statutory function of the Welsh Language Board or not, as a result of the WLB merger. The requirement to adopt a Welsh language scheme is explicitly linked to the principle of equality between English and Welsh. This mirrors the Welsh Assembly Government’s current practice. The transitional provisions in Amendment No. 96 will mean that the Welsh Ministers will inherit Iaith Pawb and the Welsh Assembly Government Welsh language scheme as they exist before the separation, so there will be continuity. I commend these amendments to the House. I beg to move.