Wales Office written question – answered at on 3 November 2025.
Liz Saville-Roberts
Plaid Cymru, Dwyfor Meirionnydd
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment has she made of the extent to which Welsh language rights are fully respected in (a) government and (b) crown bodies operating in Wales.
Liz Saville-Roberts
Plaid Cymru, Dwyfor Meirionnydd
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of placing Welsh language Standards on all Crown bodies.
Liz Saville-Roberts
Plaid Cymru, Dwyfor Meirionnydd
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions she has had with the Welsh language Commissioner (a) on the topic of Welsh Language Standards and (b) in general.
Jo Stevens
The Secretary of State for Wales
The then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State met with the Welsh language Commissioner earlier this year at the Urdd Eisteddfod where among other matters, they discussed the topics of Welsh Language Standards and Welsh Language Schemes. The now Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Minister McMorrin, looks forward to meeting the Welsh Language Commissioner this month and my officials also continue to engage with the Welsh Language Commissioner’s Office regularly.
Although the Welsh Language is a devolved matter, the UK Government has a role to play in supporting the Welsh Government’s Cymraeg 2050 strategy. This is most notably through ensuring that S4C as a public service broadcaster continues to promote the use of a thriving Welsh language.
The UK Government’s overarching goal is to continue to develop and expand Welsh language use and delivery. For example, we coordinate the officials led cross-Government Welsh Language Forum, which last met in September and was attended by a representative of the Welsh Language Commissioner’s Office. We publish content (graphics and videos) in both Welsh and English and all four social media channels operated by the Wales Office - X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. The Commissioner's office also regularly engages with individual UK Government departments to assist them in delivering their services in Wales through the medium of Welsh.
It is for the Welsh Ministers to specify, in regulations under the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011, the bodies to which the Welsh Language Commissioner may be required to comply with Welsh language standards. Where the Welsh Ministers seek to provide for standards to be specifically applicable to a Minister of the Crown, they must obtain the consent of the relevant Secretary of State.
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The language of Wales spoken by around 25% of the population. It is an Indo-European language and belongs to the Celtic group. It was made "offical" in Wales by the Welsh Language Act 1993. It is known in Welsh as Cymraeg.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
The language of Wales spoken by around 25% of the population. It is an Indo-European language and belongs to the Celtic group. It was made "offical" in Wales by the Welsh Language Act 1993. It is known in Welsh as Cymraeg.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
