Pause for thought on Welsh Language Board

1.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 11th Oct 2005

Eleanor Burnham AM, Welsh Liberal Democrat spokesperson on the Welsh Language, welcomed yesterday's Assembly vote that postponed the merger of the Welsh Language Board with the Assembly. Mrs Burnham who had challenged the Minister for Welsh Language on the issue two weeks before said that in halting the merger the opposition parties had saved the Government from starting its ill conceived without a proper plan.

The motion forced the Welsh Assembly Government to postpone the merger of the Welsh Language Board with the Assembly until the Government puts forward plans which satisfactorily deals with the operation of the regulatory functions of the Board.

Speaking in the debate Mrs Burnham said, "I hope that this debate today will be clear enough for the Ministers to grasp the very real concern the opposition parties share about the important statutory functions of the WLB.

"Since 1993 the Welsh language board has done an outstanding job in acting as an independent champion for the Welsh language, a regulator and auditor to the public sector and Wales' premier think tank on language issues. Drafting Iaith Pawb would have been a much harder job had it not been for the WLB's work. That is why we opposed the merger of the WLB.

"Could I therefore implore the Minister, before he starts going round starting bonfires, that he does so with proper planning and preparation…you shouldn't play with fire and you certainly mustn't play with the progress made with the Welsh language.

"Until the Government outlines a proper framework and a realistic plan we can only assume on past record that your bonfire will do more harm than good."

Diwedd/Ends.