Bilingualism in Business

During Wednesday's NAW (National Assembly for Wales) Plenary session (28 January) the Minister for Heritage answered a question on Bilingualism in Business. The question/answer were as follows*:

Nerys Evans AM (Plaid, Mid & West Wales): Will the Minister make a statement regarding the importance of promoting bilingualism in business in Wales? OAQ(3)0600(HER)

Alun Ffred Jones AM (Minister for Heritage): It is encouraging to see more and more companies offering Welsh-language services and to see an increase in the use of the Welsh language. The Welsh Language Board continues to promote the benefits of operating bilingually to businesses across Wales.

Nerys Evans AM: A number of large global companies have secured their presence in the new shopping centre currently being built in Carmarthen. These include Starbucks, which has 17,000 outlets throughout the world and is a company that made a profit of $110 million during the first three months of 2008. The company is very familiar with the idea of bilingualism, given that it has fully bilingual branches in China and Japan.

Cwlwm, Carmarthen’s community Welsh-language monthly paper, has a campaign to ask these new companies kindly to provide bilingual signage. Should we not be discussing these issues in legal terms rather than depending on the goodwill of volunteers to campaign with each individual shop? Will you confirm that it is important to include large and global companies, which are familiar with the idea of bilingualism, in the Assembly’s language Measures in future?
Alun Ffred Jones: With reference to the situation in Carmarthen, the Welsh Language Board’s private sector team is in contact with Carmarthenshire County Council, which is a partner in the development. The board has given the council its guide on bilingual retailing and that guidance addresses the use of the Welsh language in business.

The current view is that it is better to achieve our aims with large companies through co-operation and encouragement. International companies such as Tesco, BT and other retailers have demonstrated their sensitivity and willingness to co-operate, and that is a success. I believe that great strides are being taken but, if we see, over time, that progress is not adequate, there may be an opportunity to review the situation. However, at the moment, I believe that the best way forward is through co-operation and encouragement.

Paul Davies AM (Conservative, Preseli Pembrokeshire): As we know, you will make a statement next week about the legislative competence Order on the Welsh language, and I take it for granted that it will outline your plans for the private sector. I do not expect you to make a statement on that today, but can you confirm, whatever your plans may be, that you as a Government will ensure that adequate resources are available for private businesses to be able to meet your demands?

Alun Ffred Jones AM: As you said, you do not expect me to make a statement about that LCO today, and I have no intention of doing so. You will get to see the LCO on Tuesday, and we will then have a discussion about its contents and its implications for any sector.

The full transcript of Wednesday's Plenary session is available here.

*NB: quoted from English-language translation of Record - original exchange in Welsh (see transcript).

Legislative Ballot: Proposed Major Development Travel Plans Legislative Competence Order

An NAW* Legislative Ballot was held on Wednesday 28 January 2009.

The winner of the ballot was Jenny Randerson AM (Lib Dem) with a Proposed Major Development Travel Plans Legislative Competence Order (LCO).

The LCO "seeks the powers to introduce a requirement that all new, major land use developments over a certain size publish and implement a travel plan as a condition of planning permission." The full Explanatory Memorandum may be read here.


[Legislative Competence Orders are a type of secondary (or ‘subordinate’) legislation which transfer specific powers from Parliament to the Assembly. More information about the Legislative Process may be found on the NAW website here.]

Live List of LCO Proposals
Live List of Measure Proposals

* National Assembly for Wales

Welsh Language LCO

The Minister for Heritage, Alun Ffred Jones AM, is scheduled to make a Legislative Statement on the Proposed Welsh Language Legislative Competence Order on Tuesday 3rd February in the National Assembly for Wales' Plenary Session.

The Plenary Session can be viewed online at http://www.senedd.tv/, via S4C2 digital, or can be attended in person (see http://www.assemblywales.org/gethome/get-visits/get-visits-plenary.htm ).

Severn Tidal Power Feasibility Study - Consultation

The UK Government's Department of Energy and Climate Change has issued a consultation document seeking views on:

1) a recommended shortlist of schemes for more detailed analysis this year;
2) the scope of the Strategic Environmental Assessment that is being carried out within the feasibility study;
3) the issues the feasibility study is considering and how these are being approached.

Further details about the consultation are available via this link: Severn Tidal Power consultation

Report and statistics published

The National Assembly for Wales' Enterprising and Learning Committee has published its interim report on the economic contribution of higher education in Wales. The report is available via this link: Interim Report on the Economic Contribution of Higher Education in Wales

Statistics for Wales has published Key Economic Statistics for January 2009. The statistics are available via this link: Economic Statistics Monthly - January 2009

Uniform Business Rate in Wales to be increased by 4.94% for 2009//10

The Welsh Assembly Government, in a decision report issued on 14th January 2009, has stated that the Non-Domestic Rate Multiplier (Uniform Business Rate) for 2009/10 will be 0.489, an increase of 4.94% over the Non-Domestic Rate Multiplier for 2008/09.

The decision report is available at http://new.wales.gov.uk/publications/accessinfo/drnewhomepage/economicdrs/economicsdrs2009/nondomrates09-10/?lang=en

Severn Tidal Power public consultation

The Minister for the Environment, Sustainability and Housing is scheduled to make a Statement in the National Assembly for Wales Plenary Session on Tuesday 27th January 2009 on the Severn Tidal Power public consultation. Information on the study presently being carried out is available at http://wales.gov.uk/topics/environmentcountryside/energy/severntidal/?lang=en.

The Plenary Session can be viewed online at www.senedd.tv, via S4C2 digital, or can be attended in person (see http://www.assemblywales.org/gethome/get-visits/get-visits-plenary.htm ).

Child Budgeting Inquiry

The Children and Young People Committee (NAW*) met on 13 January 2009 to agree their Forward Work Programme for Spring 2009.

This is to include a Child Budgeting Inquiry. Draft terms of reference and further information on the inquiry were tabled to the Committee in December 2008 in a paper available here. Children's budgeting is defined in the paper as follows:

• "Children’s budgeting is about examining the resources government allocates to polices, programmes and services that benefit children, and about whether these adequately reflect the needs of children and young people.
• It would make budgetary decisions affecting children and young people more visible and transparent and make government more accountable.
• It will help decision-makers to be aware of the impact of policies on children and young people."

The Committee aims to take evidence from:

• Professor David Reynolds (27 Jan)
• Save the Children (10 Feb)
• Institute for Democracy in South Africa [IDASA] (3 March - via video conference, to be confirmed)
• Funky Dragon (3 March, to be confirmed)
• Welsh Local Government Associatin [WLGA] (17 March, to be confirmed)
• Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (31 March)

The Committee also intends to hold an informal meeting with parent groups, facilitated by Children in Wales on 25 February.

Committees can be viewed online at www.senedd.tv, via S4C2 digital or can be attended in person (see details here).

* NAW - National Assembly for Wales

Welsh Language LCO: Question to First Minister

As noted earlier this week, a question was put to the First Minister during yesterday's NAW (National Assembly for Wales) Plenary session (13 January) regarding the progress of the Welsh Language LCO. The question/answer were as follows*:

"Eleanor Burnham AM [Lib Dem, North Wales]: Will the First Minister make a statement on the progress of the Welsh language LCO?

The First Minister: We are working closely with colleagues in the Westminster Government to publish the Order as soon as possible and deliver on our 'One Wales’ commitments on the Welsh language.

Eleanor Burnham: Thank you for that answer, First Minister. I am sure that we would all appreciate some kind of development since we were all concerned about the fact that Paul Murphy said, when he came here before Christmas, that he had been looking at the matter for over a month, if I remember correctly. In addition, it would be useful to have an explanation of the timetable for the process, because the Welsh Language Society held a rally on 10 January to coincide with an announcement by the Minister for Heritage.

The First Minister: I do not know anything about the arrangements to which you have referred. We hope, and we have been working closely with the Wales Office and the Secretary of State for Wales, to make an announcement as soon as possible. That is all that I can say.

Nerys Evans AM [Plaid, Mid & West Wales]: Can you confirm whether each department of the Westminster Government has approved the draft Order?

The First Minister: A process of learning and developing skills is under way in our administration, and the relevant Westminster departments are also familiarising themselves with the system of Legislative Competence Orders. I do not think that it is appropriate to start detailing where these discussions have taken place by naming departments in London. All that we can say is that we believe that we are drawing to the conclusion of the process and that we will be able to make an announcement before long.

Paul Davies AM [Conservative, Preseli]: You have confirmed in this place that you as a Government will establish a Language Commissioner after you have been granted the powers to do so. Under the circumstances, can you say in your opinion what powers and responsibilities will be attached to that post?

The First Minister: Subject to the legislation reaching the end of the process without many amendments to it—and that could happen, of course—the present proposals would establish a Commissioner at arm’s length from the Government. To a great extent, the Commissioner will be similar to the Children’s Commissioner and the Commissioner for Older People, and will be part of a redress system in order to help people to get justice if they feel that they were not given justice regarding Welsh-language services."

The full transcript of yesterday's Plenary session is available here.

Details of the Welsh Assembly Government's One Wales commitments on the Welsh Language can be found on their website.

*NB: quoted from English-language translation of Record - original exchange in Welsh (see transcript).

Equal Pay: Scrutiny Session on Implementation

On Thursday 15 January, the Health, Wellbeing & Local Government committee of the National Assembly for Wales (NAW) will be holding a scrutiny session into the implementation of Equal Pay.

The agenda for the meeting is available here.

The Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) paper to this committee notes the following:

"The latest Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) data was released on 14^th November 2008. This showed that female hourly full-time earnings (excluding overtime) in Wales for 2008 were 87.3 per cent of male hourly full-time earnings (excluding overtime). This represents a widening of the gender pay gap in Wales to 12.7 per cent in 2008 from 10.7 per cent in 2007."

WAG has agreed to support the Wales TUC and the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) in Wales for the next phase of the Close the Pay Gap Campaign. Three elements of this are:

1. Business Benefits Project: EHRC has begun work on a project to measure the benefits of settling equal pay in a Welsh local authority.

2. Equal Pay Event: WAG will host a Close the Pay Gap event on 11 March, aimed at chief executives of local authorities, council leaders and equality leads as well as decision makers in other statutory bodies.

3. Employer and Trade Union events: The Wales TUC is hosting a series of four geographically-based events taking place in January and February 2009 and intends to be present at party conferences during the 2009 Welsh party conference season.

Planning Acts 2008 and their effect on Wales

The Planning Act 2008 and the Planning and Energy Act 2008 both received Royal Assent in November 2008. The National Assembly for Wales' Members' Research Service has prepared a short paper to outline the implications of the Acts for Wales. The paper is available at http://www.assemblywales.org/09-001.pdf

Plenary question on Welsh Language LCO

An oral question has been tabled for answer by the First Minister during Plenary on Tuesday 13 January 2009 regarding the Welsh Language LCO.

Eleanor Burnham AM, (Lib Dem - North Wales) will ask "Will the First Minister make a statement on the progress of the Welsh Language LCO".

The Plenary session will start at 1.30pm and First Minister's Questions are the first agenda item. The session can be viewed online at: http://www.senedd.tv or via S4C2 digital.

NAW Finance Committee to consider Strategic Road Building

On 14th January 2009 the Finance Committee of the National Assembly for Wales will discuss the Terms of Reference and Work Programme for an Inquiry into Strategic Road Building. The importance of improving major road links in Wales as a means of improving the economy has been identified by many in the business community in Wales. There is a divergence of views as to whether better north-south links, to improve communications within Wales, or better east-west links, to enhance existing commercial links, are the more important. There are also environmental concerns about investing more money in roads as opposed to other forms of transport.

Anyone who has suggestions for the Terms of Reference and the Work Programme for the Inquiry may wish to contact the Committee Chair or the Committee Clerk, contact details available at http://www.assemblywales.org/bus-home/bus-committees/bus-committees-third1/bus-committees-third-fin-home/bus-committees-third-fin-mem.htm .

Welsh Assembly Government speeds up payments to Local Authorities

To assist local authorities in meeting the extra working capital requirement resulting from paying suppliers in 10 days rather than in 30 days, the Welsh Assembly Government has brought forward its monthly funding of local authorities in January, February and March 2009 from the second Monday of the month to the third working day of the month.

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