Have your say - Should the National Assembly for Wales be able to legislate on the Welsh Language?
The National Assembly for Wales’ Legislation Committee No. 5 is inviting the people of Wales to have their say on the Welsh Language LCO.
The Welsh Assembly Government wants to draw down the power, from Westminster, which’ll allow it to legislate on the language.
It’s an issue that has already received much media coverage which is why, as part of its job of scrutinising the LCO, the Assembly’s legislation committee is calling on people to have their say.
Today committee members are launching a poster campaign urging people to send their views in, on three specific questions.
Should the National Assembly for Wales be able to make laws:
on the promotion and use of the Welsh Language?
on which services the public should be able to receive bilingually?
on the freedom of persons to use the Welsh language with each other?
People can have their say by e-mailing their answers into legislationoffice@wales.gsi.gov.uk.
Committee chair, Mark Isherwood AM said: “We are a bilingual nation, so we all have a view on language issues which is why we want as many people as possible to have their say on whether the National Assembly should have the power to make laws on the Welsh Language.”
The poster will be distributed to libraries and community centres across Wales in a bid to reach as many people as possible.
“We will be considering carefully the areas where the proposed LCO would allow the National Assembly for Wales to make Welsh laws (called Measures), looking at whether its scope is too broad or too narrow.”
The Committee has issued a more detailed set of questions as well which are available on the website and will be taking evidence from witnesses during its forthcoming meetings.
Notes
1) The closing date to submit your views is 20 March 2009.
2) Full details about the consultation, the proposed Legislative Competence Order and the Committee
3) You can respond by e-mail to legislationoffice@wales.gsi.gov.uk
Or by post to: Legislation Committee No. 5, Legislation Office, National Assembly for Wales, Cardiff Bay, CF99 1NA.
4) Please state if you responding on behalf of an organisation or as an individual. The National Assembly for Wales normally publishes its responses to public consultation. If you do not want your response or name and address (or part of the address) published it is important that you specify this clearly to us in writing at the end of your submission.