Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 6:07 pm on 14 December 2022.
May I thank Jack for bringing this short debate forward today? I want to take you back some 30 years. I was chair of the University of Wales branch of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg when I was invited to be part of a delegation to go to Barclays's headquarters in Wales, which was on Queen Street in Cardiff, to lobby for a Welsh option on cash points. Now, cash points were relatively new at that point, and they were in English only. It was explained to us that the bank supported the principle but that there were technological barriers at the time in introducing a Welsh option. Of course, we achieved Welsh cash points ultimately, and that was another small victory in the history of the language campaign. But here we are, 30 years later, and we still hear of technological barriers in making fundamental parts of banking services available bilingually. Our branches are being closed in towns in all corners of Wales, as we heard from Jack—branches where people, even before the Welsh language cash point was available, could enjoy a Welsh language service entirely naturally, provided by bilingual staff, for many years. But, as the branches close, we are encouraged to use online services, and those still aren't available in Welsh. I use online banking on a daily basis, I'm sure, and that is entirely through the medium of English, and that is not acceptable. Banking and financial services are fundamental services, so, come on, banks, and play your part in supporting and encouraging bilingualism.