WEL. The Welsh Language
WEL1. One victim of globalisation might well be the Welsh language.
WEL2. Our policies to develop local, sustainable economies are an essential step to giving Welsh-speaking communities a chance of surviving this century. Strong local economies are the key to the future of the Welsh language. Just as the survival of life on the planet depends on the biodiversity of its ecology, so the survival of humankind depends on our rich diversity and that of our cultures and communities.
WEL3. Greens want higher standards and variety from Welsh language public broadcasting. However to thrive Welsh needs to continue to be a community language and to be a language of workplace and homes.
WEL4. The disparity in property prices between over-heating south-east England and Welsh-speaking areas in Wales is causing a cultural crisis in these parts of Wales, as property is unaffordable to young people in these areas. Green policies to create local, sustainable economies are an essential step in enabling Welsh language and culture to survive and develop.
WEL5. In education Greens want a multi-site Welsh medium College within the University of Wales, formed initially through existing provision. University authorities should be required to prepare detailed plans on all aspects of Welsh-language provision, with their performance reviewed regularly by the Welsh Language Board.
WEL6. Where demand is clear, we want across-the-board provision of higher-level Welsh language education and proper provision of Welsh-medium courses within further education colleges. There should be free full and part-time intensive Welsh courses with the right to attend without loss of benefits. The education sector should be monitored to ensure that bilingual education provision meets demand.
WEL7. Language learning in schools should take place in schools from 5 years old and should cover Welsh and a foreign language in addition to English.
WEL8. In the Assembly Greens will advocate:
Promotion of Welsh on the computer desktop by engaging with the Open Source software revolution
In the state sector, where employees see a training need for Welsh, that it is funded by the employer
Giving the Welsh Language Board a duty to comment on the likely effect of large housing or road developments on the language in areas where 65% or more of the population speak Welsh, and a statutory right to have its comments heard at planning hearings
Application of the Welsh Language Act to the private sector, so that companies employing over 150 people in majority-Welsh-speaking areas have to ensure levels of Welsh language support agreed with the Welsh Language Board
Separating responsibility for the Welsh language away from the more general portfolio of sport and culture.
Comparison of resources for Welsh with those other EU threatened minority-language areas as part of the public audit process
Reviewing training provision in colleges for public body employees such as nurses and teachers, where Welsh-language and other minority language provision on a community level is critical. As a first step, all responsibility in such matters should be devolved to an all-Wales level.
WEL9. We recognise that language has on occasion been a source of tension between non-Welsh speaking and Welsh speaking people living in the same areas. This concerns us. Language is an emotive and difficult issue, and more should be done to bridge divides. We support bilingual cultural initiatives and events. We encourage learning Welsh and integration of learners and first-language speakers.
WEL10. At the same time, the Wales Green Party recognizes the linguistic diversity of Wales, and does not believe the same level or type of language support is appropriate in every corner of Wales. Chepstow's needs may be very different from Caernarfon's. Addressing needs appropriately is crucial in building tolerance between different parts of Welsh society. We do not want to see people coerced into support for any language - we want to see a consensus built around the idea of enabling a threatened culture to survive.
