10. What impact assessments have been completed on the implications of the 'Brexit and our land' proposals for the Welsh language? OAQ52685

As we set out in 'Brexit and our land', we consider the Welsh language to be an inseparable part of the social fabric of parts of rural Wales. A Welsh language impact assessment will be undertaken by the Welsh Government before any final decisions are taken on the design of new schemes.

Thank you very much. That’s what I suspected: no assessments and no intention of doing that until the results of the consultation are collated. Now, it’s clear that a fair bit of officials' time and Government money has already been invested in developing the proposals contained within 'Brexit and our land'. So, isn’t this process, the Government process of developing policy, entirely flawed? Because the risk is that you will reach the next stage after you’ve completed the consultation and find that the proposals are damaging to the Welsh language and other areas, such as the rural economy, and therefore you will have to drop them, and then you will have wasted everyone's time and Government resources and will have unnecessarily caused anxiety among rural communities.

No, not at all, because as I said in an earlier answer—I think it was to Llyr—we haven't done those assessments and that modelling because we are out to consultation. But, I said in my opening remarks to you that we specifically included the Welsh language in that document, and I also think 'Brexit and our land' has a very community and cultural focus, and, of course, the Welsh language is an integral part of that. The agricultural sector is probably the sector in Wales that uses the Welsh language the most, and I absolutely want to protect that. We are committed, as I mentioned, to keeping farmers on the land and to working with them for that prosperous future, and that offer, I think, will ensure that we have a future for the Welsh language, by creating stability and long-term viability for our farmers.

Well, I agree with Siân Gwenllian. There's no point including a question in a consultation for something that you've not offered any evidence for. A few clichéd words about the place of the Welsh language in rural communities really doesn't count. Did you receive any advice from the Welsh Language Commissioner about how to collate the evidence before consulting?

If we'd have done extensive modelling and impact assessments before the consultation, I would be criticised for that. You just can't please some people and, unfortunately, I think this is the most appropriate way to do it. All the modelling and assessments, as I said, will be done before we go out to consultation in the spring on the specific schemes. There has been contact with the Welsh Language Commissioner at an official level, and also I have had discussions with ministerial colleagues.

The final question is question 11—Mick Antoniw.