Under Part II of the Welsh Language Act 1993 (“the Act”) the Welsh Language Board may give notice in writing to any public body to produce a Welsh Language Scheme. The Welsh Language Board has now been abolished and the function of giving notice under Part II of the Act has been transferred to the Welsh Language Commissioner by virtue of the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011. Section 6 of the Act lists various public bodies for the purposes of Part II of the Act and provides that the Secretary of State (now the Welsh Ministers) may specify further public bodies for those purposes.

This Order specifies the Natural Resources Body for Wales for the purposes of Part II of the Act.

Six previous Orders have been made under section 6 of the Act:

The Welsh Language Schemes (Public Bodies) Order 1996 (S.I. 1996/1898);

The Welsh Language Schemes (Public Bodies) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/1100);

The Welsh Language Schemes (Public Bodies) Order 2001 (S.I. 2001/2550(W.215));

The Welsh Language Schemes (Public Bodies) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/1441(W.145));

The Welsh Language Schemes (Public Bodies) Order 2004 (S.I. 2004/71(W.7)); and

The Welsh Language Schemes (Public Bodies) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/1890(W.179)).

The Welsh Ministers' Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to this Order. As a result, a regulatory impact assessment has been prepared as to the likely costs and benefits of complying with this Order. A copy can be obtained from the Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ.