[lg policy] UK: 'Ridiculous' standards for Welsh language rights

[Harold Schiffman]

'Ridiculous' standards for Welsh language rights

   - 1 hour ago
   - From the section Wales politics
   <http://www.bbc.com/news/wales/wales_politics>

Share <http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-38531155#share-tools>
Image caption Meirion Prys Jones said ministers had "completely lost their
way"

The current law giving people rights to access services in Welsh is
completely ridiculous, according to an ex-chief executive of the Welsh
Language Board.

Welsh language standards, introduced in 2016, require councils, national
parks and the Welsh Government to provide some services bilingually.

Meirion Prys Jones said ministers "obsessed with hitting organisations
hard" had made "very poor legislation".

Ministers have admitted the law is too complicated and will be reviewed
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-38518437>.

The review was welcomed by Welsh Language Commissioner Meri Huws, who took
over the role of promoting the language from the Welsh Language Board in
2012.

Welsh language standards apply to around 80 public bodies in Wales,
depending on the nature of the organisation and its location.

Typically, councils can have some 100 to 200 regulations to meet.

Many bodies have complained about the cost and complexity of the
regulations, which include making it clear that they welcome correspondence
with the public in Welsh and giving the language priority on bilingual
signs.

Speaking on the BBC Radio Wales Good Morning Wales programme, Mr Jones
said: "It's a very, very poor piece of legislation - it's so complicated.

"It was supposed to be simple [and] clear so that everyone can understand
the new system - it doesn't work.

"The idea of standards was you'd have one standard or a few standards that
would suit all of Wales," he said, adding that to have many more "is
completely ridiculous".

Mr Jones said Welsh ministers "completely lost their way" on the matter
"about seven or eight years ago".

"They became obsessed with the idea of regulation, the idea that you need
to hit organisations hard who didn't provide enough services in Welsh and
they set about putting a system in place," he said.
Media captionThe law around Welsh language standards needs to be reviewed,
says Alun Davies

On Thursday, Welsh Language Minister Alun Davies told the Newyddion 9 news
programme: "I think we always need to review how policy is being
implemented - is it delivering its ambition?

"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.

"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.

"They can be too complicated at times, both the process of designing and
implementing."

Conservatives AM Suzy Davies said the rules were "far too bureaucratic and
a balance needs to be found in cutting red tape while maintaining the
rights which Welsh speakers want to exercise".

But the Welsh language society, Cymdeithas yr Iaith, said the legislation
should be strengthened.

Chair of the organisation's language rights group, Manon Elin, said it
should cover the private sector and "include the unquestionable right to
use the language in every aspect of life".
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/15974198223581e6?compose=15974881fddd1ccd
*********************
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/lgpolicy-list/attachments/20170106/f9a1f5dd/attachment.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
_______________________________________________
This message came to you by way of the lgpolicy-list mailing list
lgpolicy-list at groups.sas.upenn.edu
To manage your subscription unsubscribe, or arrange digest format: https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/listinfo/lgpolicy-list