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