Even though 250 people attended a Welsh language Demonstartion organised by Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg at Bangor on Saturday - which led to an £80 on the spot fine for three activists, Stiwart Edwards, Bethan Williams and Gwenno Teifi - the Culture Minister Alun Pugh still refuses to meet a delegation from Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg to discuss the need for a New Welsh Language Act.

In a letter to Dafydd Morgan Lewis, Campaigns officer for Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, which arrived over the weekend Alun Pugh said:"My position on the bilingual future of Wales is well known to all. I believe that it is far more important to concentrate our efforts on promoting the Welsh language for the sake of all rather than on creating new legislation."Dafydd Morgan Lewis, Campaigns Officer for Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg said:"It is strange that Alun Pugh should have such a strong attachment to the 1993 Welsh Language Act, a piece of legislation passed by the last Conservative government and which was justifiably condemned at the time by the opposition Labour Party for its weakness. We must ask why he is so intent on treating 'promoting the language' and 'new legislation' as opposites. Surely it is obvious to everyone legislation is necessary if we wish to promote the language effectively? If he does not believe this then why does he and his party wish to see the National Assembly gain more law-making powers?""Mr Pugh's limp and weak attitude to the language is completely contrary to the consensus now growing amongst the opposition parties in the Assembly in favour of new language legislation. We very much hope that Alun Pugh will have both the strength and courtesy to come and accept a National petition calling for a New Welsh Language Act which Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg will be presenting to the National Assembly government on Wednesday February 7th."