CONCERNS have been raised after the head of the government Human Rights watchdog said she had "no responsibility for the Welsh language'.The new Equality and Human Rights Commissioner Ann Beynon told Golwg magazine: "The Equalities Commission has no responsibility for the Welsh language but we have always had positive discussions between the Commission and the [Welsh Language] Board."The UN Convention on Human Rights and the UK Human Rights Act prohibit discrimination on language grounds. In 2007, steps by the Race Equality Commission, one of the Equality and Human Rights Commission predecessor bodies, played a key role in reversing travel company Thomas Cook's ban on its staff speaking Welsh.

On the Commission's website there is information to remind people about their human rights, including the right not to be discriminated against on language grounds. The website also reminds the public if they believe that their human rights have been infringed: "As a first step, you can contact our helpline.".In a letter to the new Commissioner, Menna Machreth, Chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (the Welsh Language Society) said :"Mixed messages from the commission are a very big problem, not mainly for us as a movement, but the people who need help from you. I hope very much that we have misinterpreted the Commission's point of view and that you still offer help and advice in cases like Thomas Cook.""We have referred people who have come to us with problems to the Commission in the past because they can help people who have been prevented from speaking Welsh. At the moment, there isn't any body which will receive complaints from individuals who have been banned from speaking Welsh, so the Commission's role is important..."