Sums don’t add up for proposed Welsh Language Measure, says committee report

6 August 2010

An Assembly committee says too little is known about the true cost of introducing the proposed Welsh Language Measure.

A new report from the Finance Committee of the National Assembly for Wales found figures provided by the Welsh Government were, in parts, vague and gave little explanation of how some aspects of the Measure would be funded or even how much they would cost.

It is anticipated that the majority of the costs will be met by the £13.8 million that currently supports the Welsh Language Board.

The Board would be dissolved under the Measure and replaced with a Welsh Language Commissioner. Among the Commissioner’s duties will be the promotion of equality between Welsh and English.

Along with the Commissioner’s role, the explanatory memorandum accompanying the proposed Measure identifies a number of new and changed activities which will need funding, but provides little analysis of their impact on current or future programmes.

“The Committee sees a concerning lack of substantive information for the cost implications of the Welsh Language Measure,” said Angela Burns AM, Chair of the Finance Committee.

“I’m afraid that with the limited research and lack of detail contained within the explanatory memorandum the Welsh Government’s sums, at the moment, don’t add up.

“The evidence my committee colleagues and I received from the commercial sector demonstrated the likelihood of significant funding to meet the requirements of the proposed Measure, but the poor detail businesses have to go on makes it difficult to establish a true cost.

“We call on the Welsh Government to ensure that when secondary legislation to set standards is laid, it stands up to robust and intricate financial scrutiny.”