David Melding condemns Welsh Assembly for not promoting Welsh language

David Melding, Shadow Minister for the Economy and Transport in the Welsh Assembly, has criticised the Labour-Plaid Cymru administration for rejecting legislation on the Welsh language.

Mr Melding had proposed a Legislative Competence Order (LCO) calling for the establishment of a Languages Commissioner and the affording of official language status to both Welsh and English.

In their 2007 manifesto, Welsh Conservatives called on the Assembly and local authorities to increase the level of bilingualism in Welsh society.

Mr Melding commented:

"This proposal was made with all sincerity and would have allowed us to advance the issue of further powers over Welsh language legislation.

As long as the Assembly Government delays its own LCO there will be questions over its strategy in this area.

Ministers had the chance today to back my proposals even if only as an interim measure until they produce their own.

If the Assembly Government does not produce its own LCO soon the people of Wales will lose out on this vital area of national life and the status of the National Assembly will be diminished."

Tom Greeves apologises for not translating this post into Welsh.