Campaign for the use of Welsh in the AssemblyLanguage campaigners have today launched an online campaign calling for the Welsh language to have a stronger presence in the Welsh Assembly (Friday, June 3)Cymdeithas yr Iaith's Language Rights group will concentrate specifically on the need for a fully bilingual version of the Record of Proceedings (Cofnod). The group will also outline the need for an increase in the general use of the Welsh language in the Assembly.The Cofnod hasn't been available in Welsh since September 2010, and following complaints from the public, the Welsh Language Board are currently investigating the matter.Launching the campaign today, Catrin Dafydd, spokesperson on behalf of Cymdeithas yr Iaith said:"When the people of Wales voted for more powers back in March, they put their faith in the Assembly as an institution. In light of this, Assembly Members have a greater responsibility to show that they are committed to main streaming the use of Welsh in all aspects of Assembly life. Reversing the decision taken by the third Assembly and ensuring that a fully bilingual Record of Proceedings is made available to the public would be symbolic and a clear statement of the Assembly's narrative for the future. If members of the Commission do not reverse this decision, they will be denying the people of Wales' linguistic rights. Accepting the status quo would set a dangerous precedent as well as undermining the 2011 Language Measure that gives the Welsh language official status in Wales."The language group have sent correspondence to the new members of the Commission in order to ensure that a fully bilingual version of the Cofnod will be made available for Welsh citizens in future.

In a letter to the new members of the Commission, Catrin Dafydd wrote:"You will be aware of the decision made during the third Assembly to cease the production of a fully bilingual version of the Record of Proceedings (Cofnod), and of the fact that the decision was unpopular among the public in Wales as well as with Assembly Members from all parties. I'm writing to you on behalf of the Language Rights Group in Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, to ask you to return to a policy of providing a fully bilingual Cofnod so that the people of Wales can choose to read the Assembly proceedings in their own language, whether it is English or Welsh.Welsh has now been confirmed as an official language in Wales through the Welsh Language Measure 2011, something we welcome most warmly, as do you I'm sure. The decision to let the Cofnod - a document of huge symbolic importance - to now become a mostly English-only document after it has been thoroughly bilingual since 1999 goes against this development and tramples the official status of Welsh in Wales.We all heard recently that the level of Welsh spoken in the Assembly has deteriorated significantly, and I'm sure you would wish to address this problem. We have no doubt that the lack of bilingual Cofnod contributes towards this problem, since a bilingual context is needed in order for the use of Welsh to feel natural in the Chamber and elsewhere. There is a risk that the Welsh language will become no more than an ornament and a tokenism in the Assembly. This would undermine the language throughout Wales.The lack of a bilingual record is a matter of concern to our members, and individuals from all over Wales have said they wish to campaign on this matter. We understand also that the Welsh Language Board is investigating the matter under the Welsh Language Act 1993. If the Assembly itself cannot comply with its Welsh Language Scheme, what hope is there for other organisations throughout Wales?We understand there is an intention to present a Bill to protect the Welsh language in the Assembly. This is a much-needed step and we will be keeping a keen eye on those developments. However, ensuring a fully bilingual Cofnod will be a basic requirement of the rhetoric of a 'truly bilingual organisation' that is so often used with no consideration for what this means. A bilingual record is needed as a starting block, and other developments built upon that. This is a matter of principle, respecting the linguistic rights of people in Wales.Lastly, I would like to remind you: when the Assembly first stopped producing a bilingual Cofnod, members of every party came together to voice their concerns and sought to ensure it would continue in a fully bilingual format. I therefore urge you to reverse the decision taken by the previous Assembly regarding this crucial matter."