Language law report: pressure grows on the Minister
 A senior all-party group of politicians have called for a significant strengthening of government plans for a Welsh language law in a landmark report today.
In its report, the committee argues that a 'clear and unambiguous' statement establishing official status for Welsh; a Language Commissioner more independent of Government; and more power for individuals need including in the legislation.
Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (the Welsh Language Society) reacted to the report claiming that 'shows clearly that the government plans broke the promises they made to the public' because of the absence of official status and Welsh language rights in the law, or Assembly Measure.
On official status for the language, something Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg has campaigned for for decades and one of the coalition commitments, the committee report states:
"We have also considered and acknowledge the weight of evidence in favour of a clear and unambiguous statement about the Welsh language having official status in Wales. We agree with this view. We believe that ... the proposed Measure, as currently drafted, makes no change to the status of the language... It contains no declaration as to the status of the Welsh language. In our view such a declaration is necessary."
Reacting to the cross-party report, Menna Machreth, Chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg said:
"This report to confirms what we've been saying ever since this draft law was published: it breaks all the promises made in the One Wales agreement. The report agrees that the proposed law, as it stands, doesn't establish Welsh language rights, official status for the language, or an independent Commissioner either. And those were key promises of the Labour-Plaid Cymru coalition.
"The government is treating this vital once-in-a-generation legislation as a tick-in-the-box exercise. Only a couple of weeks ago, the Heritage Minister was arguing that proposed measure 'confirmed official status', and created 'rights'. Everyone in Wales, apart from Alun Ffred Jones, accepts that the Measure doesn't make Welsh an official language. This report has driven a coach and horses through the empty rhetoric of the government. The ball is now in their court, they've got to fix their mistakes. If not, this law will hang like a millstone around Alun Ffred Jones' [Heritage Minister] neck."
"People are starting to ask what exactly is this law going to deliver? Worse than nothing, would be the honest answer. The absence of rights in the Measure means that it could do more bad than good - that's the awful truth. The Minister can expect a fierce response from our campaigners if they carry on and don't deliver what the Labour-Plaid Cymru coalition promised. There's a responsibility on every AM now to make sure that there are meaningful amendments to the Measure."
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