Bid to scrap Welsh language commissioner post dropped

There were fears a Welsh Language Bill would have weakened language protection

The Welsh Government is dropping plans for a Welsh Language Bill - which would have scrapped the job of Welsh language commissioner.

The move has been welcomed by campaigners who claimed it would have weakened protection for the language.

Welsh Language Minister Eluned Morgan said: "It is clear there is no appetite to change the whole system."

The Welsh Government said its target of having a million Welsh speakers by 2050 was unaffected by the announcement.

The commissioner promotes the Welsh language, protects the rights of people to use it, and polices the standards required of public sector bodies in their use of Welsh.

Ministers had proposed deciding for themselves which standards should apply to those organisations and any others.

Commissioner Meri Huws said her work promoting standards had made a difference

Osian Rhys, chair of Welsh language campaign group Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, said it was "excellent news".

"The government should now get on with the work needed to deliver on its vision of reaching a million Welsh speakers," he said.

"It's also vital that they press ahead with using their existing powers to extend the standards to companies in the postal, energy, water, mobile phone and broadband sectors.

"Despite the good news today, we'll be keeping a close eye to ensure there are no steps to weaken Welsh language rights in any way."

Former Liberal Democrat assembly member Aled Roberts was appointed as Welsh language commissioner in November for a seven-year term, taking up the role in March.

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Aled Roberts will be the next Welsh language commissioner

The current commissioner, Meri Huws, welcomed the announcement for giving "clarity on the way forward".

She said Welsh standards had made "a difference to the experience of Welsh speakers".

"It is very positive that we can now continue placing standards on more sectors, and move forward with a system that works."

Alun Davies, Ms Morgan's predecessor as Welsh language minister, criticised the move, saying: "I fear that this will be seen as the point where the seriousness of the government on this policy was brought into question."