<div dir="ltr"><h1 class="gmail-story-body__h1">'Complicated' Welsh language law to be reviewed</h1>
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<span class="gmail-byline__name">By Aled ap Dafydd</span>
<span class="gmail-byline__title">BBC Wales political correspondent</span>
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<ul class="gmail-mini-info-list"><li class="gmail-mini-info-list__item"> <div class="gmail-date gmail-date--v2">5 January 2017</div>
</li><li class="gmail-mini-info-list__item"><span class="gmail-mini-info-list__section-desc gmail-off-screen">From the section </span><a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/wales/wales_politics" class="gmail-mini-info-list__section">Wales politics</a></li></ul>
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Alun Davies says it is "right and proper" to debate how the law is working
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</figure><p class="gmail-story-body__introduction">A law giving people
rights to access services in Welsh is "too complicated" and will be
reviewed, Welsh language minister Alun Davies told BBC Wales.</p><p>The
Welsh language standards came into force in 2016, requiring councils,
national parks and the Welsh Government to provide some services
bilingually.</p><p>The review was welcomed by Welsh Language Commissioner Meri Huws.</p><p>But she said budget cuts had been a blow to her work promoting the language, and had "broken her heart". </p><p>The
language standards include placing a duty on bodies to make it clear
that they welcome correspondence with the public in Welsh and giving the
language priority on bilingual signs.</p><p>Many bodies have complained about the cost and complexity of the regulations.</p><p>Mr Davies told the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04m95tf" class="gmail-story-body__link">Newyddion 9</a> programme: "I think we always need to review how policy is being implemented - is it delivering its ambition? </p><p>"I
hope in the next few months to issue a white paper which will review
the issue of Welsh language standards as part of a wider review of Welsh
language policy. </p><p>"When I look at the standards I can see they
are having an impact within public bodies that deliver services in Welsh
but I also see complications.</p><p>"They can be too complicated at times, both the process of designing and implementing."</p><figure class="gmail-media-landscape gmail-no-caption gmail-full-width">
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</figure><p>Creating the standards became the responsibility of the Welsh Government in 2014 <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-21579598" class="gmail-story-body__link">after an initial attempt by Ms Huws was heavily criticised</a>.</p><p>The
then language minister Leighton Andrews said her recommendations had
been too complicated and the impact on the organisations involved had
not been considered sufficiently.</p><p>On Thursday, Ms Huws said both she and the minister agreed they were working with "cumbersome" legislation. </p><p>"It focuses on process rather than outcomes and I believe now is the right time to review."</p><p>She
added: "It is fair to say that the cuts we have faced over the last
three years have not helped in terms of our work in promoting the
language.</p><p>"It has been a blow and has broken my heart."</p><p>The language commissioner's budget has fallen by a quarter in money terms since 2013, to just over £3m. </p><p>The reduction is around 32% after inflation is taken into account.</p><p><a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-38518437">http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-38518437</a><br></p><br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature">**************************************<br>N.b.: Listing on the lgpolicy-list is merely intended as a service to its members<br>and implies neither approval, confirmation nor agreement by the owner or sponsor of the list as to the veracity of a message's contents. Members who disagree with a message are encouraged to post a rebuttal, and to write directly to the original sender of any offensive message. A copy of this may be forwarded to this list as well. (H. Schiffman, Moderator)<br><br>For more information about the lgpolicy-list, go to <a href="https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/" target="_blank">https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/</a><br>listinfo/lgpolicy-list<br>*******************************************</div>
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