(1) Part 1 of Schedule 5 to the 2006 Act is amended in accordance with this article. (2) In field 20 (Welsh language), insert -
"Matter 20.1
Promoting or facilitating the use of the Welsh language; and the treatment of the Welsh and English languages on the basis of equality.
This matter does not include the use of the Welsh language in courts.
This matter does not include imposing duties on persons other than the following -
"The following" are along the lines we predicted: public authorities, those with contracts to provide services to public authorities, companies who receive public money amounting to £200,000 (any public money whatsoever by the looks of it) or more in a financial year; social landlords, regulators, companies who supply gas, water or electricity services, postal services and post offices, railway services, telecommunication services,sewerage services are there and "telecommunication services" doesn't include broadcasting, radio or television.
Matter 20.2
Provision about or in connection with the freedom of persons wishing to use the Welsh language to do so with one another (including any limitations upon it".
No word about a Commissioner but then "Matter 20.1" clearly devolves the power to create that powerful role.
No mention of sanctions, other than the final words, any functions so conferred or imposed may not be enforced against Ministers of the Crown by means of criminal offences".
This is an LCO. a request for power Six pages of detail. I wait to see what comes tomorrow from the opposition.
I dont know what to make of this, it doesnnt hit business which is good, but seems to leave wiggle room for Whitehall, may be the next stage will shed more light - the actual legislation
6 comments:
"....companies who receive public money amounting to £200,000 (any public money whatsoever by the looks of it)."
Presumably, this will mean any company that provides its goods or services to the general public.
As most businesses deal directly with the public in one way or another, one assumes that these are included.
Further, many 'small' businesses have a turnover over in excess of £200,000.
This sounds pretty all-encompassing to me.
Members of my family are involved in businesses that deal directly with the public and have a throughput far in excess of £200,000. They have all said that if this LCO is implemented, then they will be seeking to relocate to premises just outside of Wales, but near enough to continue to provide their popular and keenly priced services to the people of Wales.
Having done a simple costing of the cost of providing Welsh language provision, they have come to the conclusion that this would adversely affect the pricing structure and, given that worthwhile incentives are available just over the 'border', a relocation would be the preferred option.
The unanimous opinion of the directors is that this amounts to nothing more than a 'Language Tax' and will do nothing to increase the interests of businesses in relocating to Wales.
Business is business after all.
Wv: prepio. Sounds rather prophetic as businesses prepio to movio out of Cymru
I read it as any company in receipt of grants of £200,000, Alastair.
I would also imagine if they impose that there will be some sort of help to implement it, again it depends on what they expect.
I could not see that under existing European law they could impose this on non public funded organisation.
As they say the devil is in the detail.
Thanks for your response Valley's Mam. I wonder what happens to a 'small' business that has already received grants with no previous mention of Welsh language provision and who now find themselves subject to this LCO.
Still sounds like a language tax to me.
As you say, it's all in the details.
Why are we making so much fuss over the language yet again.
You cannot make people speak Welsh and antagonising business and putting up costs to produce stuff bi-lingually just makes more enemies.
Where did choice go?
Bye the way I am first language Welsh speaker.
"Where did choice go?"
well, my choice to speak Welsh in Carmarthen Tesco was non-existent: neither the floor manager, nor the till person, no the store security man spoke Welsh. In fact none of them WERE Welsh, they were all English (maybe the unions shoudl get out and ask why major companies don;t employ Welsh people in Welsh heartlands?).
So to your question where did the choice go, my answer is that it went, for me and other welsh-speakers at least, when they took my money but failed to respect my language sufficiently to provide services in it.
I too am a Welsh first language speaker.
As native-born English speaker, living in London, I am so glad that, at least potentially, the Welsh language will gain equal status with English, in Wales.
As the "International Year of Languages" comes to an end on 21st February, you may be interested in the contribution, made by the World Esperanto Association, to UNESCO's campaign for the protection of endangered languages.
The following declaration was made in favour of Esperanto, by UNESCO at its Paris HQ in December 2008. http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php-URL_ID=38420&URL_DO=DO_PRINTPAGE&URL_SECTION=201.html
The commitment to the campaign to save endangered languages was made, by the World Esperanto Association at the United Nations' Geneva HQ in September.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=eR7vD9kChBA&feature=related or http://www.lernu.net
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