PRESS RELEASE : Welsh Conservative comment on fall of Welsh-speakers [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Welsh Conservatives on 6 December 2022.
According to new census figures, the number of Welsh-speakers in Wales has fallen for the second consecutive decade.
In 2021, an estimated 538,000 usual residents in Wales aged three years and over (17.8%) reported being able to speak Welsh, which is a decrease since 2011, when 562,000 (19%) said it applied to them.
The number of Welsh speakers had already decreased from 582,000 (20.8%) since 2001, meaning it has fallen across the devolution era despite the protection of the language being a central part of the campaign to locate powers in Cardiff Bay.
Commenting, Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for the Welsh Language, Samuel Kurtz MS said:
“This is a deeply disappointing statistic that shows the Labour Government is further off meeting its Cymraeg 2050 ambition than it was when it set the target of reaching a million speakers in 30 years’ time.
“What lies behind this? Self-reporting is a flawed model of measurement, and with such a long term strategy, with responsibility being handed from Minister to Minister as we approach 2050, there is little accountability around decisions impacting the language.
“While we fully support the ambitions of the Cymraeg 2050 target, the Census’ data shows the stark reality of a tired Government, in power for too long and out of ideas.
“Positivity around the language, showing that it is cool, modern and useable in day-to-day life is that way we can ensure the most beautiful language on Earth can flourish in its homeland.”
The percentage of usual residents aged three years and over able to speak Welsh decreased between 2011 and 2021 in all local authorities except Cardiff, Vale of Glamorgan, Rhondda Cynon Taf, and Merthyr Tydfil.
Among children and young people aged 3 to 15 years, the percentage who could speak Welsh decreased in all local authorities between 2011 and 2021 – this is despite the enormous emphasis placed on the Welsh language in schools and its compulsory part of the GCSE curriculum.
