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| Wales assembly acts after census reveals drop in Welsh speakers | Wales assembly acts after census reveals drop in Welsh speakers |
| (8 days later) | |
| The Welsh government has promised to find ways of measuring the impact of all its spending decisions on the country's language after census figures revealed a disturbing drop in the number of speakers. | The Welsh government has promised to find ways of measuring the impact of all its spending decisions on the country's language after census figures revealed a disturbing drop in the number of speakers. |
| The first minister, Carwyn Jones, said there were "serious challenges" facing Welsh but the government was determined to help make sure it remained a "living language", not one solely spoken at school. | The first minister, Carwyn Jones, said there were "serious challenges" facing Welsh but the government was determined to help make sure it remained a "living language", not one solely spoken at school. |
| Jones met members of the Welsh Language Society, Cymdeithas yr Iaith, this week to discuss ways of halting the decline of Welsh. | Jones met members of the Welsh Language Society, Cymdeithas yr Iaith, this week to discuss ways of halting the decline of Welsh. |
| After the meeting Jones announced that the government would develop a "big conversation" – "Y Gynhadledd Fawr" – bringing all parts of society together to work out how to halt the decline. | After the meeting Jones announced that the government would develop a "big conversation" – "Y Gynhadledd Fawr" – bringing all parts of society together to work out how to halt the decline. |
| Jones said: "There are serious challenges facing the Welsh language in the years ahead. There are major challenges for us as a government but we cannot work alone. | Jones said: "There are serious challenges facing the Welsh language in the years ahead. There are major challenges for us as a government but we cannot work alone. |
| "Among the aims must be to make Welsh a living language, especially among young people outside the school gates." | "Among the aims must be to make Welsh a living language, especially among young people outside the school gates." |
| He said the "big conversation" would be about giving everybody a say in how to develop language policies. "The aim is to develop a conversation among all parts of Welsh society about how best to move forward. | He said the "big conversation" would be about giving everybody a say in how to develop language policies. "The aim is to develop a conversation among all parts of Welsh society about how best to move forward. |
| "I believe most people in Wales want our language to grow and strengthen in the years ahead and that's why it's crucial that everyone now plays their part." | "I believe most people in Wales want our language to grow and strengthen in the years ahead and that's why it's crucial that everyone now plays their part." |
| According to the Welsh government about 21% of the population speak Welsh – around 580,00 people. But more detailed census figures just out put the spotlight on one of the most worrying aspects of the situation for language campaigners – the decline in heartland areas such as Carmarthenshire. | According to the Welsh government about 21% of the population speak Welsh – around 580,00 people. But more detailed census figures just out put the spotlight on one of the most worrying aspects of the situation for language campaigners – the decline in heartland areas such as Carmarthenshire. |
| It revealed the number of communities where more than 70% of the population could speak Welsh decreased from 59 in 2001 to 49 in 2011. All were in north Wales. | It revealed the number of communities where more than 70% of the population could speak Welsh decreased from 59 in 2001 to 49 in 2011. All were in north Wales. |
| There were no electoral divisions, or wards, in Carmarthenshire, south-west Wales – traditionally a very strong area for the language – where more than 70% of the population could speak Welsh in 2011. Ten years before there had been five electoral divisions. | There were no electoral divisions, or wards, in Carmarthenshire, south-west Wales – traditionally a very strong area for the language – where more than 70% of the population could speak Welsh in 2011. Ten years before there had been five electoral divisions. |
| The Welsh Language Society presented Jones with a manifesto that included 26 recommendations to encourage more Welsh to be spoken in workplaces, at home and in the community. | The Welsh Language Society presented Jones with a manifesto that included 26 recommendations to encourage more Welsh to be spoken in workplaces, at home and in the community. |
| Its suggestions ranged from finding ways of doing business through Welsh to introducing planning rules and tax regimes to help Welsh speakers stay within Welsh-speaking communities if they wish to. | Its suggestions ranged from finding ways of doing business through Welsh to introducing planning rules and tax regimes to help Welsh speakers stay within Welsh-speaking communities if they wish to. |
| But the society is most excited about Jones's promise to find a way of measuring how his government's policies were affecting the language. | But the society is most excited about Jones's promise to find a way of measuring how his government's policies were affecting the language. |
| Tony Schiavone, chair of the society's sustainable communities group, said: "The first minister has agreed to measure the impact of all Welsh government funding in terms of the Welsh language. Not just the funding on Welsh language initiatives and projects but on mainstream funding. | Tony Schiavone, chair of the society's sustainable communities group, said: "The first minister has agreed to measure the impact of all Welsh government funding in terms of the Welsh language. Not just the funding on Welsh language initiatives and projects but on mainstream funding. |
| "A lot of the mainstream funding does not fully acknowledge the needs of the Welsh language. A good example is the training programmes for the workplace. Those training programmes are not set up to deliver training through the medium of Welsh and promote the use of Welsh in the workplace. | "A lot of the mainstream funding does not fully acknowledge the needs of the Welsh language. A good example is the training programmes for the workplace. Those training programmes are not set up to deliver training through the medium of Welsh and promote the use of Welsh in the workplace. |
| "Sometimes mainstream funding is delivering programmes like economic regeneration that don't take into account the needs of the Welsh language. The spending undermines the Welsh language initiatives." | "Sometimes mainstream funding is delivering programmes like economic regeneration that don't take into account the needs of the Welsh language. The spending undermines the Welsh language initiatives." |
| Schiavone said he believed the first minister, who is a Welsh speaker, was genuinely interested and engaged in the problems the language faced. | Schiavone said he believed the first minister, who is a Welsh speaker, was genuinely interested and engaged in the problems the language faced. |
| Last weekend the Welsh Language Society staged a rally in Aberystwyth to mark 50 years since it tried to bring the town to a standstill with its first protest. The society said about 500 turned out for the anniversary event. | Last weekend the Welsh Language Society staged a rally in Aberystwyth to mark 50 years since it tried to bring the town to a standstill with its first protest. The society said about 500 turned out for the anniversary event. |
| On the meeting between Jones and the society, a Welsh government spokesman said: "The first minister had a constructive meeting with the Welsh Language Society. The need to monitor the impact of the Welsh government's policies on the language is a commitment in our Welsh language scheme and strategy – and we are considering how best to undertake Welsh language impact assessments in the context of budget decisions." | On the meeting between Jones and the society, a Welsh government spokesman said: "The first minister had a constructive meeting with the Welsh Language Society. The need to monitor the impact of the Welsh government's policies on the language is a commitment in our Welsh language scheme and strategy – and we are considering how best to undertake Welsh language impact assessments in the context of budget decisions." |
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