Government of Wales Act 2006

78 The Welsh language

(1) The Welsh Ministers must adopt a strategy (“the Welsh language strategy”) setting out how they propose to promote and facilitate the use of the Welsh language.

(2) The Welsh Ministers must adopt a scheme (“the Welsh language scheme”) specifying measures which they propose to take, for the purpose mentioned in subsection (3), as to the use of the Welsh language in connection with the provision of services to the public in Wales by them, or by others who—

(a) are acting as servants or agents of the Crown, or

(b) are public bodies (within the meaning of Part 2 of the Welsh Language Act 1993 (c. 38)).

(3) The purpose referred to in subsection (2) is that of giving effect, so far as is both appropriate in the circumstances and reasonably practicable, to the principle that in the conduct of public business in Wales the English and Welsh languages should be treated on a basis of equality.

(4) The Welsh Ministers—

(a) must keep under review both the Welsh language strategy and the Welsh language scheme, and

(b) may from time to time adopt a new strategy or scheme or revise them.

(5) Before adopting or revising a strategy or scheme, the Welsh Ministers must consult such persons as they consider appropriate.

(6) The Welsh Ministers must publish the Welsh language strategy and the Welsh language scheme when they first adopt it and—

(a) if they adopt a new strategy or scheme they must publish it, and

(b) if they revise the Welsh language strategy or the Welsh language scheme (rather than adopting a new strategy or scheme) they must publish either the revisions or the strategy or scheme as revised (as they consider appropriate).

(7) If the Welsh Ministers publish a strategy or scheme, or revisions, under subsection (6) they must lay a copy of the strategy or scheme, or revisions, before the Assembly.

(8) After each financial year the Welsh Ministers must publish a report of—

(a) how the proposals set out in the Welsh language strategy were implemented in that financial year and how effective their implementation has been in promoting and facilitating the use of the Welsh language, and

(b) how the proposals set out in the Welsh language scheme were implemented in that financial year,

and must lay a copy of the report before the Assembly.