Campaigners say Welsh Language Commissioner has 'lost her way’

Stephen Price

The Welsh Language Commissioner has 'lost her way' according to campaigners who point to only a quarter of complaints being investigated – the lowest rate in the history of the office.

In briefing papers sent to the Chair of the Senedd's Culture Committee ahead of a scrutiny session of the Commissioner's work today (Wednesday 12 November), Cymdeithas yr Iaith alleges a number of failures by the language regulator.

Among the group’s concerns are the halving of the number of complaints investigated from 63% in 2021-22 to just 26% in 2024-25; hiding information that used to be published; refusing to challenge the Welsh Government to extend language rights to other sectors; and moving her office to the Welsh Government headquarters in Cathays Park.

The campaigners' efforts come after the Commissioner, Efa Gruffydd Jones, who was appointed in 2022, adopted a new Strategic Plan this year which placed far less emphasis on language rights.

Cymdeithas yr Iaith argues that the direction of the Plan is contrary to the 2011 legislation which established the office of the Commissioner. That law states that it is by imposing the Language Standards on bodies that legal rights to use the Welsh language are established.

Aled ap Robert, Chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith’s Language Rights Group said: "Since she was appointed, the Commissioner has followed an agenda that undermines the legislation, and tries to implement the wishes of parts of the civil service who want to prioritise the interests of bodies like themselves instead of people’s language rights.

"She has literally moved her office to the same building as those people who do not want robust regulation. It’s a scandal.

"An approach of ‘co-regulation’ was introduced under Efa Gruffydd Jones, which is proof that the Commissioner has lost her way.

"She has lost sight of her core function as an independent regulator for the Welsh language and an advocate for the rights of Welsh speakers.

"The practical effect of this direction by Efa Gruffydd Jones is even less certainty that our children will be able to have their swimming lessons in Welsh and no consequences for a prison service that bans vulnerable prisoners from speaking Welsh to each other.

"The Commissioner is increasingly putting the responsibility on ordinary people to "use" their Welsh even though services are often not available, while fat-cat companies providing essential gas, electricity, phone and postal services get away with ignoring the needs of Welsh speakers fifteen years since the government of the day promised that Standards would be imposed on them to provide their services in Welsh."

"As well as weakening regulation, there is an obvious and damaging change in the emphasis and direction of the organisation as a whole under the current Commissioner.

"It is clear that the Commissioner is determined to turn the body into a body that primarily softly ‘promotes’ the Welsh language.

"She’s trying to do through the back door what the Welsh Government tried a few years ago through new primary legislation, but had to drop following strong opposition.

"We cannot have faith in a Commissioner who behaves like this."

"Strategic working"

Welsh Language Commissioner Efa Gruffudd Jones, said: “My vision as Welsh Language Commissioner is to see Welsh as a living language, used in our everyday lives. Regulation is a central element of the strategic plan I published earlier this year. Ensuring that the Welsh Language Standards are implemented properly and effectively is a core part of the organisation’s daily work and will remain so throughout the period of the strategic plan.

“Carrying out statutory investigations and taking enforcement action is an important part of how we work. We usually do this when a failure has occurred, and particularly when there is no evidence that organisations are taking steps to improve the situation.

“But my aim is to ensure that Welsh speakers receive the services they are entitled to by avoiding situations where organisations fail in the first place. We do this by intervening early, supporting organisations to understand their duties, and encouraging proactive approaches to compliance.

“This does not mean weakening our role as a regulator – it means using the most effective methods to achieve positive outcomes for Welsh speakers. Our most recent report on organisational performance shows that compliance rates are increasing, with consistent improvement year on year.

“I make no apology for working more strategically and thinking about how to achieve the best outcomes for Welsh speakers, and for directing our resources towards that goal – I have been completely open and transparent in doing so.

“I have also been clear in stating my ambition to expand the scope of the Standards to include Crown bodies, as well as the organisations and sectors already named in the Measure. These calls are clearly set out in our manifesto.

“As a public body, I am accountable to the Senedd through annual reports, and my work is subject to scrutiny by Senedd committees. I welcome any scrutiny of our work and am willing to be challenged. I am pleased to present my evidence to the Senedd committee today and remain determined to act firmly, fairly, and transparently for the benefit of the Welsh language and its speakers.”