At 11 o' clock this morning a deputation from Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg met the Heritage Minister Rhodri Glyn Thomas in Cardiff to discuss the Welsh Assembly Government's plans for introducing legislation concerning the Welsh language. Hywel Griffiths, Chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, Rhun Emlyn, Chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Language Act campaign Group and Sioned Haf, Campaigns Officer for Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg presented their views on the subject to the Minister in order to make sure that any legislation introduced would be comprehensive and transparent.

The Minister confirmed that a Legislative Competence Order will be issued in the Spring of 2008, and once that had been passed in Westminster then everything would be set in motion for new legislation by the autumn of 2009.Sioned Haf, on behalf of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg said:"We welcome the effort made to introduce new legislation in this field but we emhasise that three basic principles must be included. Welsh must be recognised as an official language in Wales; the rights of Welsh speakers to use their language in all walks of life and to speak it in the workplace should be recognised, and the post of Language Commissioner should be established.""Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg welcomes Rhodri Glyn Thomas intention to introduce a language Act that extends to the private sector. The Minister revealed that he was already co-operating with certain companies in order that they adopt a voluntary language policy."Rhun Emlyn said:"Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg accepts that valuable work is being done at the moment to promote the Welsh language, but we must emphasise that we must have strong legislation extending to the private sector. Recent campaining by us against Morrisons and Tesco has convinced us that there will be no full acceptance of the Welsh language by private companies without legislation."Hywel Griffiths added:"We insist that any Language Act passed by the National Assembly must include the private sector. If not, an opportunity will have been lost for a decade or more. We must have a new act, structured in such a way, that large companies have to conform with it immedietaly and smaller businesses should be given assistance to conform with the new law."Following this constructive meeting Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg intend to keep in constant touch with the Minister so that our views will be known to him. We shall also continue to lobby companies such as Morrisons and Tesco.