Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople

Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Mental Health, Wellbeing and Welsh Language – in the Senedd at 2:43 pm on 2 December 2020.

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Photo of Siân Gwenllian Siân Gwenllian Plaid Cymru 2:43, 2 December 2020

(Translated)

I don't think I heard you confirm that you were in favour of introducing a code of practice in relation to the curriculum Bill, but we will return to this issue at some future date, I'm confident of that. Introducing a code of practice on the teaching of Welsh in the curriculum would be an important step forward. And I do believe that there is a consensus developing across parties on the need for a statutory code, and hopefully we can work together to secure that. 

To conclude, I would like to touch upon the vulnerable positions of two of our important organisations, namely the Urdd and the National Library of Wales. The Urdd announced yesterday that they will continue to operate and innovate, as best they can, in terms of a national eisteddfod, but there won't be one held in the traditional way. And, in the meantime, other work streams of the Urdd, such as the residential camps, remain closed and that leads to a loss of income. According to the Urdd's evidence to the Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee the organisation has lost half its workforce and could face debts of up to £18 million. I do know that your Government has provided £3.1 million in financial support for the Urdd, but is that sufficient, that would be my question.

And, in the case of the national library, they received £0.25 million in support from Government recently, but that was after you clawed back £200,000 from the library at the beginning of the pandemic. So, what assessment have you, as Minister, made of whether the Government's financial support is adequate to support these crucial organisations? Would you agree that we can’t allow bodies that have contributed so much to the national and linguistic life of Wales to simply wither away?