8. 7. Debate: The White Paper on Proposals for a Welsh Language Bill

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 6:59 pm on 3 October 2017.

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Photo of Alun Davies Alun Davies Labour 6:59, 3 October 2017

(Translated)

I am grateful, Llywydd, for the opportunity to have this debate on the White Paper and how we make progress with language policy. I’m very grateful to everyone—everyone—who’s participated in this debate. I was very pleased to hear the comments made by Suzy Davies, Neil Hamilton, even Adam Price, and I’m also pleased that we can still have this kind of debate on the future of the Welsh language.

I was particularly pleased to hear Jeremy Miles quoting Jim Griffiths, one of the leading figures of Welsh Labour, and one who reflects the kind of Welsh identity that Wales wants to see, not just from Government but from us all. May I just make a few points in response to the debate? I hear these allegations that we are weakening our rights as Welsh speakers. We are not weakening any rights that currently exist. In fact, what we are doing is going further to extend the kinds of rights that we have, to extend the rights that we can implement, and what we’re going to ensure is that we can implement these rights. I have no patience at all with rights that exist only on paper. What I want to see is rights that can be delivered for Welsh speakers every day, wherever they are in this nation, and that doesn’t happen at the moment. It doesn’t happen at the moment, and that is why we must see change.