Welsh Language Commissioner
Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns has launched new guidance for UK Government departments when planning and delivering bilingual communications activity targeted at audiences in Wales.
The guidance, the first of its kind for the UK Government, was announced at a joint event with Welsh Language Commissioner Aled Roberts at S4Cs pavilion at the National Eisteddfod in Llanrwst on Monday [5 August].
The guidance has been endorsed by the Commissioners office along with the Government Communications Service, the professional body for people working in communications roles across government. Included are recommendations and good practice on designing and creating quality bilingual content in areas including events, consultations and campaigns.
The Welsh Language Act places a duty on public organisations to treat the English and Welsh languages equally when providing services to the public in Wales. So far, 11 UK Government departments have implemented their own Welsh language schemes as a result of the Act, with more expected to follow soon.
The new guidance is intended to complement these departmental Welsh language schemes, providing practical examples to ensure communicators raise the quality of bilingual output and enable citizens and businesses in all parts of Wales to engage better with the work of UK Government departments.
Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said:
In Wales, we have a duty to represent the audiences we serve. Welsh is an official UK language and for many people an integral part of their identity, both for fluent speakers but also for learners.
The UK Government is committed to supporting the ambition of one million Welsh speakers by 2050. This guidance will support people working across both governments in Wales and in Whitehall to help us achieve that target, by ensuring the language is visible, audible and above all accessible.
Welsh Language Commissioner Aled Roberts said:
We welcome the work that has been done on this new guideline. It includes examples of good practice and recommendations and hopefully will ensure that the Welsh language will play an integral part when planning and delivering events, promotional material and social media posts targeted at audiences in Wales.