The Welsh Language Standards (No. 1) Regulations 2015 (Amendment) Regulations 2021

Welsh Statutory Instruments

2021 No. 1352 (W. 351)

Local Government, Wales

Welsh Language

The Welsh Language Standards (No. 1) Regulations 2015 (Amendment) Regulations 2021

Made

at 9.40 a.m. on 1 December 2021

Coming into force

3 December 2021

The Welsh Ministers make the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred on them by sections 26, 27, 39 and 150(5) of the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011(1).

A draft of this instrument has been laid before and approved by a resolution of Senedd Cymru in accordance with section 150(2) of that Measure(2).

Title and commencement

1.—(1) The title of these Regulations is the Welsh Language Standards (No. 1) Regulations 2015 (Amendment) Regulations 2021.

(2) These Regulations come into force on 3 December 2021.

Amendment of the Welsh Language Standards (No. 1) Regulations 2015

2.—(1) The Welsh Language Standards (No. 1) Regulations 2015(3) are amended as follows.

(2) In regulation 1(4) (title, commencement, application and interpretation)—

(a) in the definition of “body”, after “or county borough council” insert “, a corporate joint committee”;

(b) at the appropriate place insert—

“a “corporate joint committee” (“cyd-bwyllgor corfforedig”) means a corporate joint committee established under Part 5 of the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021(4);”.

(3) In regulation 3(1) (standards that are specifically applicable), after “to county borough councils” insert “, to a corporate joint committee”.

Rebecca Evans

Minister for Finance and Local Government, one of the Welsh Ministers

At 9.40 a.m. on 1 December 2021

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

The Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 (nawm 1) (“the Measure”) makes provision for the specification of standards of conduct in relation to the Welsh language (“standards”).

Section 25 of the Measure requires a person to comply with a standard of conduct in relation to the Welsh Language which is specified by the Welsh Ministers if, in addition to other conditions being met, the person is liable to be required to comply with Welsh Language standards and the standard is potentially applicable to the person.

Section 26 of the Measure enables the Welsh Ministers to specify standards by regulations, and section 39 enables them to provide that a standard is specifically applicable to a person by authorising the Welsh Language Commissioner (“the Commissioner”) to give a notice to that person requiring compliance with the standard (a “compliance notice”).

The Welsh Language Standards (No. 1) Regulations 2015 (“the 2015 Regulations”) specifies standards in relation to the conduct of the Welsh Ministers, county council and county borough councils and National Park authorities. The 2015 Regulations also authorise (subject to certain exceptions) the Commissioner to give a compliance notice, in relation to standards specified by the 2015 Regulations, to those bodies.

These Regulations amend the 2015 Regulations to bring corporate joint committees, established under Part 5 of the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021, within the scope of those specified standards and enable the Commissioner to make a compliance notice in respect of that body.

These Regulations are connected with Regulations which establish certain corporate joint committees under Part 5 of the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021. The Welsh Ministers’ Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to the Regulations which establish corporate joint committees and connected regulations. As a result a regulatory impact assessment has been prepared. A copy can be obtained from the Local Government Strategic Finance Division, Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ.

(1)

2011 nawm 1.

(2)

The reference in section 150(2) to the National Assembly for Wales now has effect as a reference to Senedd Cymru, by virtue of section 150A(2) of the Government of Wales Act 2006 (c. 32).

(3)

S.I. 2015/996 (W. 68).

(4)

2021 asc 1.