The Welsh language is a devolved subject and the responsibility of Senedd Cymru / the Welsh Parliament and the Welsh Government. However, the UK Government is committed to supporting the promotion and use of the Welsh language, including the Welsh Government\u2019s ambition for one million Welsh speakers by 2050.<\/p>
<\/p>
As the UK\u2019s major Welsh language broadcaster, S4C has played a unique and critical role in promoting the Welsh language and is a vital partner for UK Government. The UK Government\u2019s commitment to promoting the Welsh language is reflected in S4C\u2019s licence fee settlement, announced in January 2022; this provides a very strong settlement, with S4C initially receiving £88.8 million p.a. from April 2022, rising in line with inflation from April 2024. It also includes an additional £7.5 million p.a. to support S4C\u2019s digital development, ensuring S4C\u2019s offering remains sustainable in the digital age. Overall, this settlement delivers a 9% increase in funding for S4C.<\/p>
<\/p>
Furthermore, as a fluent Welsh speaker and champion for the Welsh language, I personally take every opportunity to promote the language and communicate bilingually in my role. The Office of the Secretary of State for Wales, as the lead department in UK Government for the Welsh language, works with other government departments to improve Welsh language provision, most notably through the official-level, cross-Government Welsh Language Forum.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1545", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for David T C Davies"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Monmouth"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "David T C Davies"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-01-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-01-10T14:06:03.313Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "28"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Wales"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Wales"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-01-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Welsh Language"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what steps the Government is taking to protect the Welsh language.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4410", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Julian Knight"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Solihull"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Julian Knight"} ], "uin" : "8016"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1003636", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Wales Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1003636/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government is committed to securing a deal that works for the entire United Kingdom, including Welsh speaking communities. We continue to engage the devolved administrations, including the Welsh Government, fully in preparations for the UK's exit from the EU.<\/p>
<\/strong><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4086", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alun Cairns"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Vale of Glamorgan"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Alun Cairns"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-19T09:48:53.027Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "28"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Wales"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Wales"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Welsh Language"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect of the UK leaving the EU on Welsh speakers and Welsh-speaking communities.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1397", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Hywel Williams"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Arfon"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Hywel Williams"}
], "uin" : "189596"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1003637", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Wales Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1003637/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " I have regular meetings with Cabinet colleagues, the Welsh Government, and other key stakeholders, including representatives of Welsh speaking communities, on issues affecting Wales, including the impact of EU exit.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4086", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alun Cairns"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Vale of Glamorgan"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Alun Cairns"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-19T09:49:59.99Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "28"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Wales"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Wales"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Welsh Language"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with (a) Cabinet colleagues, (b) the Welsh Government, (c) the Welsh Language Commissioner and (d) the Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee in the National Assembly for Wales on the potential effect on (i) Welsh speakers and (ii) Welsh-speaking communities of the UK leaving the EU.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1397", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Hywel Williams"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Arfon"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Hywel Williams"}
], "uin" : "189597"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/106379", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Wales Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/106379/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "