WRITTEN STATEMENT
BY
THE WELSH GOVERNMENT
TITLE
Welsh Language Standards Update
DATE
19 October 2015
BY
Carwyn Jones AM, First Minister of Wales
I would like to update Members on the process of preparing Regulations to make Welsh
Language Standards specifically applicable to the organisations in the Welsh Language
Commissioner’s second Standards Investigation.
The Commissioner’s second Standards investigation into a further 119 organisations
(Annex A) came to an end on 6 February 2015. The Commissioner submitted 9 Standards
reports to the Welsh Ministers at the end of May 2015. In accordance with section 66 of the
Welsh Language Measure (Wales) 2011, I have given due regard to the Commissioner’s
conclusions. I have today published a report which responds to the Commissioner’s
standards reports, as well as an appendix which responds to each of the Commissioner’s
conclusions.
I am grateful for the Commissioner’s work. The reports and her conclusions have been
useful in giving us a greater understanding of which standards may be relevant to the
organisations. We are also aware that, in reaching her conclusions, the Commissioner
undertook additional research into the organisation’s functions and services, which included
consideration of how they currently perform against their Welsh language schemes. This
means that we are in strong position to proceed with the work of preparing Regulations to
specify standards and make them specifically applicable to these organisations.
Due to the large number of organisations in the second investigation and the variety of
sectors covered, the intention is to introduce the Regulations gradually. We will commence
the laying of the next round of Regulations by the end of 2015. Thereafter we will introduce
further Regulations. However, as noted in the attached Report, there may be a need to
consult on Regulations for the health sector.
We will continue to update Assembly Members on the rolling programme for making
standards as it unfolds.
http://gov.wales/topics/welshlanguage/response-to-welsh-language-standardsinvestigation/?lang=en
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ANNEX A
Organisations included in the Welsh Language Commissioner’s second Standards
Investigation

Public Bodies: Government (1 organisation)
o Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales

Public Bodies: Local Government (25 organisations)

o Powys Teaching Health Board
o The Board of Community Health
Councils in Wales
o Aneurin Bevan University Health
Board
o Abertawe Bro Morgannwg
Community Health Council
o Cwm Taf University Health Board
o
Aneurin Bevan Community Health
o Abertawe Bro Morgannwg
Council
University Health Board
o Betsi Cadwaladr Community Health
o Betsi Cadwaladr University Health
Council
Board
o Brecknock and Radnor Community
o Cardiff and Vale University Health
Health Council
Board
o Hywel Dda University Health Board. o Cardiff and Vale Community Health
Council
o Welsh Ambulance Services NHS
Trust
o Cwm Taf Community Health
Council
o Velindre NHS Trust
o Hywel Dda Community Health
o Public Health Wales NHS Trust.
Council
o NHS Business Services Authority
o Mid and West Wales Fire and
o Montgomeryshire Community
Rescue Service
Health Council.
o Civil Nuclear Police Authority
o South Wales Fire and Rescue
Service
o British Transport Police Authority.
o North Wales Fire and Rescue
Service.

Schedule 5(1): Public Authorities (11 organisations)
o South Wales Police and Crime
Commissioner
o Dyfed Powys Police and Crime
Commissioner
o North Wales Police and Crime
Commissioner
o Gwent Police and Crime
Commissioner
o Chief Constable of South Wales
Police
o Chief Constable of Dyfed Powys
o Chief Constable of North Wales
Police
o Chief Constable of Gwent Police
o Chief Constable of the British
Transport Police
o The General Pharmaceutical
Council
o NHS Wales Shared Services
Partnership
2

Police
Schedule 5(3)(a) - Persons who advance learning and knowledge by teaching or
research or by developing or awarding qualifications
(2 organisations)

o Coleg Ceredigion
o Coleg Sir Gâr

Schedule 5 (5) – Persons providing services to the public who receive public
money amounting to £400,000 or more in a financial year (7 organisations)
o WEA Cymru
o Royal Voluntary Service
o National Association of Citizens
o Hafal
Advice Bureaux
o Leonard Chesire Disability
o Gofal Cymru
o Wallich-Clifford Community

 Public Bodies: General (1) (21 organisations)
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Cardiff and Vale College
Coleg Cambria
Coleg y Cymoedd
St David's Catholic College
Gower College Swansea
Coleg Gwent
Bridgend College
Pembrokeshire College
Grŵp Llandrillo Menai
NPTC Group
Career Choices Dewis Gyrfa
o
o
o
o
o
o

Public Bodies: General (2) (19 organisations)
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
National Museum Wales
Wales Millennium Centre
National Heritage Memorial Fund
Student Loans Company Limited
Natural Resources Wales
Finance Wales
The Arts Council of Wales
Sport Wales
Wales Council for Voluntary Action
The Welsh Books Council
The National Botanic Garden of
Wales
o
o
o
o
Swansea University
Aberystwyth University
Bangor University
Cardiff University
The University of Wales
The University of Wales: Trinity
Saint David
The University of South Wales
Glyndŵr University
Cardiff Metropolitan University
The Open University
o
o
o
o
o
o
The National Library of Wales
Welsh National Opera Limited
Sianel 4 Cymru (S4C)
The National Theatre Wales
Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
The British Broadcasting
Corporation (BBC)
o The Big Lottery Fund
o The Office of Communications
(OFCOM)
3

Public Bodies: General (3) (16 organisations)
o The Quality Assurance Agency for
Higher Education
o Colleges Wales Ltd
o The Children’s Commissioner for
Wales
o The Commissioner for Older People
in Wales
o The General Teaching Council for
Wales
o The Higher Education Funding
Council for Wales
o The Care Council for Wales

o Universities and Colleges
Admission Service
o The National Institute of Adult
Continuing Education
o The General Chiropractic Council
o The General Dental Council
o The General Medical Council
o The Nursing and Midwifery Council
o The General Optical Council
o The General Osteopathic Council
o The Health and Care Professions
Council
Public Bodies: General (4) (17 organisations)
o Auditor General for Wales (AGW)
o Professional Standards Authority for
Health and Social Care (PSA)
o Youth Justice Board for England
and Wales (YJB)
o Royal Commission on the Ancient
and Historical Monuments of Wales
(RCAHMW)
o Independent Police Complaints
Commission
o Equality and Human Rights
Commission (EHRC)
o Local Democracy and Boundary
Commission for Wales (LDBCW)
o UK Commission For Employment
and Skills (UKCES)
o Welsh Local Government
Association (WLGA)
o Valuation Tribunal for Wales (VTW)
o Information Commissioner's Office
(ICO)
o The Mental Health Review Tribunal
for Wales (MHRTW)
o The Special Educational Needs
Tribunal for Wales (SENTW)
o Residential Property Tribunal Wales
(RPTW)
o Agricultural Land Tribunal for Wales
(ALTW)
o Data Unit Wales
o The Electoral Commission
4