Item 14 is the next item, the Welsh Language Standards (No. 8) Regulations 2022. I call on the Minister for the Welsh language to move the motion. Jeremy Miles.

Motion NDM8053 Lesley Griffiths

To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 27.5:

1. Approves that the draft The Welsh Language Standards (No. 8) Regulations 2022 is made in accordance with the draft laid in the Table Office on 30 June 2022.

Motion moved.

Thank you, Llywydd. I move the motion on the Welsh Language Standards (No. 8) Regulations 2022. The regulations allow the Welsh Language Commissioner to impose standards on nine UK bodies in the health sector—eight professional regulatory bodies and the Professional Standards Authority. One hundred and twenty bodies are already captured under standards, including health boards and health trusts in Wales. Including the regulatory bodies under the standards regime will move more health bodies from the old language schemes to language standards. The regulations have been prepared specifically for these bodies, focusing on the services that they provide to the public, but the standards also give rights to health workers if they are subject to a complaint or a hearing in terms of professional practice.

These are part of the jigsaw to deliver the aim of increasing the use of the Welsh language, and that's what's important. The bodies will need support in building capacity to provide more Welsh language standards. The commissioner's office will be available to provide guidance to these bodies, as they go on their language journey. Other partners such as the National Centre for Learning Welsh will also be available to provide assistance to these bodies and their staff, if they wish to learn Welsh, in order to provide better Welsh language services to the public. The co-operation agreement between the Government and Plaid Cymru commits us to introducing the steps that I'm stating this afternoon.

Finally, may I thank the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee for hastening the process of reporting on these regulations once we relaid them? The collaboration of the committee ensured that this debate could proceed today.

Thank you, Minister. I welcome the opportunity to contribute on the standards here today. After all, this is the first complete set of standards regulations to be brought before Plenary since 20 March 2018, over four years ago. There are several reasons for the delay, including the decision by the previous Government to put the standards programme on hold during the debate on proposals to introduce a new Welsh language Bill, and later because of the pandemic, of course.

In welcoming this debate today, which marks the restart of the roll-out of the standards programme, I'd like to look forward instead of looking back. This is because the introduction of these language duties are an important step forward in many ways, which will make a practical difference. It is vital that the Welsh language is at the core of the recovery work in the health sector as we begin to restore services after the pandemic. Regulation No. 8, if approved today, will mean that everyone in the sector is under the same system, and it rectifies the current situation where the work is only half done: the health boards are under the standards system while the bodies that are mainly responsible for oversight of the health workforce are under the language scheme system of the 1993 Act, with us having legislated here since 2011 to create a bespoke system to promote and facilitate the use of the Welsh language in Wales.

As well as underlining the wider shift to take forward the implementation of the Welsh language Measure, new language rights that are specific and important are being created as a result of these regulations. The Minister referred to some, but the important ones are: the right for the public in Wales to apply for jobs in Welsh with the organisations in question, and for employees at these organisations to be able to receive Welsh lessons free of charge; the right for practitioners in health professions who have complaints lodged against them to engage with the process in Welsh throughout, both orally and in writing; and the right for members of the public in Wales to be able to see, hear and use the Welsh language in their dealings with the bodies.

Before the introduction of the Measure, there was no effective system to enforce the commitments made by bodies to Welsh speakers, and no body with teeth to listen to complaints. Now, the commissioner is obliged to consider such complaints, which means that individuals who are obstructed from receiving care in Welsh are treated with dignity and respect—something that's vital, given that sick and vulnerable people may have to turn to the bodies in question when they have a complaint or concern about their care under a health practitioner.

In any area of equality, legislative change takes time. The evidence available thus far confirms the value of standards in creating that change. There will also be a duty on those who will be subject to these standards to consider the impact of their decisions on the Welsh language when developing new policies, for example to plan proactively to ensure that the principle of not treating the Welsh language less favourably than English guides the sector's planning into the future.

This is an acknowledgement of the fact that we cannot separate the importance of having a solid infrastructure in place from the desire to create opportunities for people to use the Welsh language and to see the use of the Welsh language increase as a result. For that reason, I'm very pleased that the Government, together with Plaid Cymru, is committed to extending the duty to use the Welsh language to other important sectors that touch upon the lives of the citizens of Wales, such as the water industry, transport, new public bodies that are outside the standard system and housing associations, together with the commitment in the co-operation agreement to develop a timetable to complete implementation of the Measure in its entirety.

It's now important the work moves forward with new momentum and energy in order to extend the baseline of basic provision that our citizens should be able to expect in a bilingual nation, which will benefit individuals, communities and the general well-being of the Welsh language throughout the whole of Wales.

The Minister for the Welsh language to reply.

Thank you, Llywydd. These regulations allow the Welsh Language Commissioner to consider where the bodies are on their language journey before imposing final standards upon them, thereby considering what is reasonable to expect, but also to improve Welsh language services to the public. The main aim is to ensure practical, daily use of the Welsh language in our communities.

These bodies have been preparing to be captured under the standards regime for years and are ready to proceed in implementing them. The bodies have collaborated fully with us as we prepare the regulations, and they have a healthy attitude towards the Welsh language. I therefore hope that Members will support these regulations as part of our ambition to increase the daily, practical use of the Welsh language.

The proposal is to agree the motion. Does any Member object? No, there are no objections, therefore the motion is agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.