Group 13. Welsh language provision (Amendments 64, 65, 66)

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 6:51 pm on 21 November 2017.

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Photo of Llyr Gruffydd Llyr Gruffydd Plaid Cymru 6:51, 21 November 2017

(Translated)

Thank you, Llywydd. I hear what the Cabinet Secretary has to say and I do recognise that the Government has strengthened several aspects of this area. I would say, of course, that you referred to local authorities and the duties of local authorities and the emphasis on looking at the provision in relation to other providers—it's a valid point—but I would like to strengthen that and put a more specific emphasis on the health boards, because they are central to much of this, and health provisions, as I mentioned in my opening remarks, are at the core of many of these problems. You mention that five-year delay—that might be overstatement, but it has to happen within five years—and I do recognise that there are some disciplines where it would take a number of years to train the workforce, but in your own words, that is 'certain disciplines'. There are others where, if the will was there, we could turn things around far more quickly, and therefore I would hope that we would see this Bill in the same way as the Government's will to move towards 1 million Welsh speakers, we should see this as an opportunity to give drive to that effort. And in response to what you said, and what you said on amendment 66, if memory serves me correctly, on the fact that Welsh language standards include standards on advocacy services, that's a point that the former Minister made at Stage 2 of this Bill. The Welsh Language Commissioner has stated clearly that that is not the case. The provision of advocacy services is not covered under language standards, and therefore we need to strengthen this Bill to secure that right. Support the amendments.