, Plenary
Nomination of the First Minister under Standing Order 8
Rhun ap Iorwerth.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Papers to note
Happy to note.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
General ministerial scrutiny: The Welsh Language
Thank you.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
General ministerial scrutiny: The Welsh Language
Thank you. But there are challenges related to this, aren't there? If we look at Cardiff at the moment, for example, and the problem that we're facing in terms of a particular cohort moving from year 6 to year 7 in terms of Welsh-medium education, how do you…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
General ministerial scrutiny: The Welsh Language
Thank you. One of the things that you've noted is that preparatory work is under way to enable the next Government to consult and adopt the target of 50 per cent of learners in Welsh-medium education by 2050. May I ask, therefore, what strategy or specific…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
General ministerial scrutiny: The Welsh Language
That's okay.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
General ministerial scrutiny: The Welsh Language
Thank you. That's good to know. Clearly, one of the fundamental issues related to the Act is this idea of moving schools along the language continuum. You'll be aware that there are eight local authorities in 2021 who had committed to moving up to 42 schools…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
General ministerial scrutiny: The Welsh Language
It flows on fairly well, too, in terms of the Government's role. I'm just going to ask about the Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Act 2025. I just want to understand what progress has been made in terms of developing the code and describing Welsh language…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
General ministerial scrutiny: The Welsh Language
May I just ask you to reflect on the fact that we have a consensus in the Senedd at the moment? We know that every party standing in the election in May isn't supportive of the Welsh language. Reform has said, for example, with Cymraeg 2050—they would get rid…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
General ministerial scrutiny: The Welsh Language
If I could just follow up on that, clearly, you still need to know whether Welsh Government policy is having an impact, and there are a number of measures, aren't there? Obviously, I'm sure we'll come to the Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Act 2025 later…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
General ministerial scrutiny: The Welsh Language
I just wanted to ask how important you think it is for us to develop quite a robust methodology in order to be able to truly understand the situation of the language, because, obviously, you've had to answer quite a lot of questions about various figures over…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Ministerial evidence session
I just wanted to understand how that work between the Welsh language division and the economy division works, in particular in terms of taking that learning from Arfor forward, and what you see as the next steps that you're working on now, but also that link…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Ministerial evidence session
You're not going to get us disagreeing with that, but I guess it just begs the question, again, why the Welsh language doesn't feature in the mission for the economy currently, given everything that you've outlined there. And also with Arfor, we're still a…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Ministerial evidence session
I wasn't asking if it fazed them, I was asking whether you picked up that they saw it as an advantage compared to England that, for instance, we are a bilingual nation.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Ministerial evidence session
If I may, just looking at the recent investment summit, Cabinet Secretary, how did the Welsh language feature in that? How much of a feature was it that we have, in many parts of Wales, bilingual communities, because, Cabinet Secretary, for the Welsh language…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Ministerial evidence session
Thank you. Because, clearly, the Welsh Language Commissioner has been quite robust on this point, so we would hope that that would influence work in this area. In terms of ensuring then how we ensure that city deals don't undermine economic initiatives…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Ministerial evidence session
If we look specifically at the city deals, research suggests that there has been little consideration given to the Welsh language as they develop their strategies. So, I just want to understand whether you believe that there should be more consideration given…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Ministerial evidence session
Just to build on that, because it's clear that Arfor has come to an end. We have this period of reflection. That £11 million was a relatively low-figure investment compared to the growth deals and so on and the funding that they have. So, in a way, it…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Ministerial evidence session
But I'm asking—. There's no reference at all to the Welsh language in that, which was at odds with previous strategies. Given that Arfor was only meant to be for three years, do you regret that there's no reference to the Welsh language in that? Do you think…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Ministerial evidence session
I just wanted to ask—. In terms of that economic mission, there is no reference at all to the Welsh language in that. I realise that it was your predecessor, Cabinet Secretary, who was responsible for that document. Do you regret that? Do you think that it's…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Ministerial evidence session
Okay. Thank you. Thank you for that clarity.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Ministerial evidence session
By whom? By Wavehill, or—?
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Ministerial evidence session
I just wanted clarity. Cabinet Secretary, you mentioned some interim findings and obviously we don't have the final report from Wavehill. I just wanted to understand what you were referencing there and to really understand how all of this is progressing and…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Ministerial evidence session
Thank you.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Ministerial evidence session
So, just for clarity, it wasn't the first time you'd met all local authority leaders to discuss Arfor; it was just prep for this specific meeting, or was it your first time discussing Arfor with them?
