I welcome today's debate on the two reports from the Welsh Language Commissioner, and I'd like to declare an interest. This is the first opportunity that I have had to comment on the work of the commissioner, and I would like to pay tribute to the hard work that both he and his team have put into fulfilling their roles, not only over the past 18 months, but before that. As I and many of us in this Chamber have said, as have you, Minister, the Welsh language belongs to everyone, from all walks of life. The work that the Welsh Language Commissioner undertakes is there to help not only promote the use of the Welsh language, but to safeguard it and expand it for future generations.

Looking at the five-year report, I note the commissioner’s concern that 

'Although the ambition to reach a million Welsh speakers was warmly welcomed at the time of its publication in 2017, there is some doubt as to whether the efforts to date are sufficient to achieve this.'

Bearing in mind that you've only been Minister for the Welsh language since May, I have a great deal of interest in hearing whether we are still on the right path to meet this target by 2050 and what actions you have taken to ensure that we do reach this target.

The report highlights that there is a perception amongst Welsh speakers that Welsh language services are improving to a level where they are happy to conduct their business with public organisations in the Welsh language. But, I share the commissioner's concern regarding the lack of reliable data to measure how much the Welsh language is being used when dealing with public organisations, and it is problematic that there is no requirement for the organisations that are governed by the Welsh language standards to monitor use of the language. What are your plans, Minister, to address these calls?

The report touches on the need for businesses and charities to promote the fact that they offer a Welsh language option. In not promoting this, many Welsh speakers are not going to enquire about the service's availability, and they won't then conduct their business in Welsh. Minister, I'd like to hear more about what role your Government can play in helping to demonstrate that services can be provided bilingually.

During this debate last year, Suzy Davies drew attention to the decline in demand for A-level Welsh, which could impact on plans to recruit and train more teachers with Welsh language skills. The challenge with regard to recruitment of teachers—particularly at secondary level—is a matter that I have raised with you before in the Siambr. I'd like to hear what progress has been made in this area.

Finally, Minister, may I ask about future schemes following on from the Arfor scheme which ran between 2016 and 2020 and allocated £2 million across four predominantly Welsh-speaking counties to create more and better jobs to support the language's growth? The commissioner states that there is currently little evidence of the success of this project, and a one-off injection of funding without a very specific purpose may not be sufficient to create an evidence base for the link between work and language. How is the Welsh Government planning to address this criticism, and what changes can be made to future schemes to ensure that they more fully deliver on their aims?

Minister, the reports from the commissioner are supportive, but they do set out a challenge for your Government to demonstrate that it has ideas to help it fulfil its commitments and reach its goals. I would be happy to support you in your efforts to encourage more people to take up and use the Welsh language, but I await responses to some of the commissioner's concerns that I have highlighted today to ensure that the future of the Welsh language is safeguarded for generations to come. Thank you.