In this case, of course, with the new qualification, there is a whole host of evidence supporting the need for this change, and a decision has been taken to accept that. It’s a matter of making progress now, and it’s this sluggishness that concerns me.

The consultation period on the Welsh language Bill White Paper has now concluded, and, again, I welcome your commitment, made yesterday, to keep an open mind on possible changes to this Bill, including the Government’s intention to abolish the role of the Welsh Language Commissioner.

The purpose of any new legislation on the Welsh language should be to simplify the standards process, but also to enhance the basic rights of Welsh speakers, which means extending standards to other sectors. There are numerous examples as to why those standards need to be extended into the private sector, and those have been highlighted over the past few months: Santander and Lloyds Bank refusing to receive papers through the medium of Welsh, and Great Western Railway flatly refusing to use bilingual signage and announcements. Members of your own Government have been critical of this lack of respect for the Welsh language, including the First Minister yesterday.

You mentioned yesterday the need to take a carrot-and-stick approach, but the attitude of companies such as Great Western Railway demonstrates clearly why that method doesn’t work. It has failed to secure the rights of Welsh speakers to receive services through the medium of their own language. The examples of Great Western and others—