Call for more rights for Welsh speakers

[Harold F. Schiffman]

Call for more rights for Welsh speakers
Jan 20, 2006

Martin Shipton, Western Mail


THE soon-to-be-abolished Welsh Language Board yesterday called for
extensive new rights for Welsh speakers. But while the proposals got an
enthusiastic response from Welsh- language activists, they were received
with a distinct lack of enthusiasm from Culture Minister Alun Pugh. In a
policy paper, the board said "absolute linguistic rights" should include:

The right to correspond with public bodies through Welsh;

The right to receive and fill in forms in Welsh;

The right to contribute to a public inquiry or meeting in Welsh, and

The right to receive public telephone services - such as helplines - in
Welsh.

It also said a set of fundamental rights would allow public-sector workers
to speak Welsh in the workplace if they wanted. Such rights, similar to
those possessed by French speakers in Quebec, would not apply to
private-sector businesses. The paper said the law should be changed to
"normalise the use of Welsh and establish Welsh speakers' civil rights".
The principle of discrimination, as it applies to race and disability,
should be extended to language, it said.

The quango is to be abolished in March 2007 and its functions transferred
to the Assembly Government. That will require changes to the Welsh
Language Act which established the board in 1993. The Assembly Government
is intending to appoint a "dyfarnydd" (referee) to oversee language policy
after the board is abolished. Board chair Meri Huws said the new regulator
should be in place before March 2007.

She said, "We are not looking for within 24 hours the individual's right
to use Welsh in every context to be legislated for and implemented. It's
part of the process of establishing the right in the workplace and for the
client and customer to use Welsh." Board member Professor Colin Williams
said, "To me what we are proposing is reasonable. The weakness of the
system at the moment is the individual does not know what to expect. What
we are looking for is a core of normal expectations as consumers and
customers throughout Wales."

Dafydd Morgan Lewis of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, the Welsh Language
Society, said, "Today's announcement means that Cymdeithas yr Iaith
Gymraeg and the Welsh Language Board are on the same side on this issue
probably for the first time ever. The Board by calling for a review of the
1993 Language Act has identified itself with those who are demanding
stronger legislation for the Welsh Language. Also to be welcomed is their
emphasis on 'language rights' and the mention of a 'language regulator' is
interesting. Alun Pugh and the Assembly Government are now isolated in the
opposing camp." An Assembly Government spokeswoman said, "The Minister
received the report himself late last night and has not had a chance to
read it in full yet as he has been in meetings all day.

"At first glance, the proposals are interesting and he is looking forward
to discussing them with the members of the Welsh Language Board. "There is
also a real issue on democratic accountability linked to our overall
programme of quango reform, and it is highly unlikely the Minister will
favour reconstituting the Welsh Language Board under another name."


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