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Written Question
Public Sector: Welsh Language
Tuesday 24th October 2023

Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)

Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the adherence to Welsh language legislation of public services in Wales for which the UK Government is responsible.

Answered by David T C Davies - Secretary of State for Wales

The Welsh language is a devolved subject and the responsibility of Senedd Cymru / the Welsh Parliament and the Welsh Government. Most public bodies in Wales are subject to Welsh language standards, made under the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011, in delivering public services. The Welsh Language Commissioner is responsible for ensuring that bodies fulfil their obligations in relation to specified standards.

Ministers of the Crown are not subject to Welsh language standards. In practice, this means most UK Government departments operate Welsh language schemes under the Welsh Language Act 1993. Schemes set out, so far as practicable, how departments treat Welsh and English on the basis of equality in respect of services they provide for Wales. The Welsh Language Commissioner approves schemes before they are implemented and departments report regularly to the Commissioner on performance against their respective schemes.

As lead department in UK Government for the Welsh language, the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales works with other government departments to improve Welsh language provision, most notably through the official-level, cross-government Welsh Language Forum.


Written Question
Public Sector: Welsh Language
Tuesday 24th October 2023

Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)

Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the provision through the medium of Welsh of public services in Wales for which the UK Government is responsible.

Answered by David T C Davies - Secretary of State for Wales

The Welsh language is a devolved subject and the responsibility of Senedd Cymru / the Welsh Parliament and the Welsh Government. Most public bodies in Wales are subject to Welsh language standards, made under the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011, in delivering public services. The Welsh Language Commissioner is responsible for ensuring that bodies fulfil their obligations in relation to specified standards.

Ministers of the Crown are not subject to Welsh language standards. In practice, this means most UK Government departments operate Welsh language schemes under the Welsh Language Act 1993. Schemes set out, so far as practicable, how departments treat Welsh and English on the basis of equality in respect of services they provide for Wales. The Welsh Language Commissioner approves schemes before they are implemented and departments report regularly to the Commissioner on performance against their respective schemes.

As lead department in UK Government for the Welsh language, the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales works with other government departments to improve Welsh language provision, most notably through the official-level, cross-government Welsh Language Forum.


Written Question
Public Sector: Welsh Language
Tuesday 24th October 2023

Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)

Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions he has had with the Welsh Language Commissioner on the adequacy of the provision through the medium of Welsh of public services in Wales for which the UK Government is responsible.

Answered by David T C Davies - Secretary of State for Wales

As a fluent Welsh speaker and champion for the Welsh language, I take every opportunity to promote the language and communicate bilingually in my role.

My officials and I regularly meet with the Welsh Language Commissioner and her office to discuss matters relating to the Welsh language, including the provision of public services through the medium of Welsh by UK Government. Most recently in August, I met the Commissioner in Aberystwyth as part of my Welsh Language Roundtable to discuss the Census 2021 results and the causes of the decline in the number of Welsh speakers in parts of Wales.


Written Question
Sewage and Water: Wales
Monday 15th May 2023

Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)

Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to the Answer of 9 May 2023 to Question 183233 on Sewage and Water: Wales, if he will take steps with the Welsh Government to publish a timetable for commencing section 48(1) of the Wales Act 2017.

Answered by David T C Davies - Secretary of State for Wales

The devolution boundary for water and sewerage is aligned along water and sewerage undertaker appointment areas, some of which straddle the border. Where those areas are wholly or mainly in Wales they are devolved.

My Department will work with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Welsh Government to agree a timetable for commencing section 48(1) of the Wales Act 2017 that best meets the needs of both governments and the water industry.


Written Question
Sewage and Water: Wales
Tuesday 9th May 2023

Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)

Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, for what reason the provisions of section 48(1) of the Wales Act 2017 have not been brought into force.

Answered by David T C Davies - Secretary of State for Wales

Following the Wales Act 2017, DEFRA and the Welsh Government established a joint programme of work to consider the legislative and practical implications of commencing section 48(1) which would realign the Senedd’s competence over water with the national border of Wales.

In 2020, both governments agreed to postpone this work as resources were reprioritised to our response to the Covid-19 pandemic and a timetable has yet to be set for commencing section 48(1) of the 2017 Act.


Written Question
Research: Wales
Monday 13th February 2023

Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)

Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of research funding for Welsh universities.

Answered by David T C Davies - Secretary of State for Wales

The UK Government is committed to making the UK a science superpower, backed by £39.8 billion for 2022-25, the largest ever research and development (R&D) budget. As part of the Levelling Up White Paper, the Government is also committed to investing at least 55% of total domestic R&D funding outside of the South East by 2024-25.

The £39.8 billion R&D budget includes £25.1 billion for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), which provide UK-wide funding opportunities. I am committed to working with universities in Wales and UKRI to maximise Wales’ success in the funding opportunities available.

Additional UK Government funding is also being provided to the Welsh Government as part of an immediate package of investment in the UK’s R&D sector announced in November 2022. This provides over £11m to the Welsh Government to distribute to Welsh universities in the current financial year.


Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 23 Nov 2022
Oral Answers to Questions

Speech Link

View all Hywel Williams (PC - Arfon) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions

Written Question
Local Growth Deals: North Wales
Friday 21st October 2022

Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)

Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the North Wales growth deal for universities in that region.

Answered by David T C Davies - Secretary of State for Wales

The UK Government is investing £790 million in city and growth deals across Wales, including £120 million in the North Wales Growth Deal.

The six local authorities in North Wales are driving forward the Deal and collaborating with the region’s universities and higher education institutions to develop research and innovation projects which increase growth, deliver jobs and build a skilled workforce for the future.

Bangor University recently received £3m in Growth Deal funding for its Digital Signalling Processing Centre. This exciting project will improve the handling and transmission of data, and is putting North Wales at the forefront of this emerging sector. Growth Deal partners are also considering two other potential projects at the University; a low-carbon centre of excellence and a centre for environmental biotechnology.

The Growth Deal is also working with Wrexham Glyndwr University to develop an enterprise engineering optic centre, focusing on reducing the use of carbon in manufacturing.


Written Question
Business: Wales
Wednesday 20th July 2022

Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)

Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, whether he has had recent discussions with the (a) Welsh Government and (b) the Secretary of State for International Trade on financial support for Welsh businesses attending Hannover Messe 2022.

Answered by Robert Buckland

I have not had any discussions with the Welsh Government or the Secretary of State for International Trade regarding supporting Welsh businesses at Hannover Messe.

The UK Government does however offer trade show support specifically targeted to help small and mid-size enterprises (SMEs), including those in Wales, through the UK Trade Show Program. The Trade Show Programme offers SMEs the opportunity to exhibit at the world’s largest trading shows, through training and finance. This is part of the UK’s ‘Made in the UK, Sold to the World' campaign to champion the best of the UK.


Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 05 Jul 2022
Support for the Welsh Economy and Funding for the Devolved Institutions

Speech Link

View all Hywel Williams (PC - Arfon) contributions to the debate on: Support for the Welsh Economy and Funding for the Devolved Institutions