Dyfodol i’r Iaith have sent a series of critical comments on the Government’s draft Budget to the Assembly’s Budget Committee. The organisation challenges the very basis upon which the spending cuts to the language have been proposed, and calls upon the Welsh Government to reconsider these damaging proposals which contradict their own strategic aims and legal duties.

Dyfodol states that the draft Budget shows that the Welsh Government receives more funding annually from London and that cuts to the Welsh language are totally unnecessary.

The Government will receive 4% more money by 2019-20, and the sum will increase yearly until then.

The figures used by the Government to justify the cutbacks is based upon inflation at a level of 3.6%. This is far higher than the maximum of 0.5% seen during 2015 and also higher than Trading Economics’ forecast of 2.1% by 2020. Cutbacks to spending on the Welsh language will be increased with inflation, in spite of the fact that that the Welsh Government’s budget is, in fact, increasing. This is clearly a decision based upon a lack of priority and vision for the Welsh language, rather than any economic necessity.

Heini Gruffudd, Dyfodol’s Chair said “In introducing these cutbacks, the Government is contradicting its own policy commitments to the Welsh language. At this key time, we are faced with shameful cuts to Welsh language culture, arts and broadcasting. At the same time, projects aimed at promoting the language are being cut and cancelled, while growth in Welsh language education remains unsatisfactory. Not much imagination is required to foresee the devastating cumulative effect all of this will have on the aim of increasing the use of the language.”

“Rather than imposing cuts on these key areas, the Welsh Government needs to present a comprehensive programme, which puts due emphasis on promoting Welsh language use in all aspects of family, social and cultural life in addition to promoting its use within the workplace. This will simply not be possible without appropriate funding.”

Following a series of blows to Welsh-language funding, Dyfodol i’r Iaith are calling for more transparency over the cuts. In the past few weeks it has been announced that S4C would be facing cutbacks; that funding for the promotion of the Welsh language is to be reduced; and last week, we learnt of further significant cuts to the Welsh Books Council’s budget. Looking at the overall picture, the cumulative effect on the Welsh language and its culture is critical.

Dyfodol yr Iaith claims that the Welsh Government, according to its own figures is set to receive more money, not less, annually from London and that these cuts are unnecessary.

The situation presented by the Welsh Government to justify these cuts is therefore less than honest. While the Government claims they will receive less money, this is only justified on the basis of inflation: a rise of 3.6% is claimed, when, in reality, the level is much lower, being closer to 1%.

Elinor Jones, Dyfodol i’r Iaith’s President said: “The recent cuts are likely to have a highly detrimental effect on Welsh culture. The budget as it stands is pitifully low; a situation which shows a lack of respect towards the Welsh language, and one which means that any cutbacks would have an inordinate effect. The future of our language and culture is too weighty a mater to be pushed aside and buried with equivocal words.”

“ Dyfodol has already called for an emergency meeting with the First Minister, and we will be pressing further for this in the wake of these latest developments.”

Dyfodol i’r Iaith has called for an emergency meeting with the First Minister, Carwyn Jones, to explain the Government’s intention to cut spending on the Welsh language. This call comes in wake of the Government’s draft budget, which outlines the intention to cut £1.6 million (19%) from the Welsh language budget.

Although the Government has by now confirmed that additional funding will be available for Welsh in the community, what little spending there is on the Welsh language is still set to plunge.

According to Dyfodol, this cut totally undermines the Government’s commitment to the Welsh language, as this money has been earmarked for initiatives and projects which make a real difference to the language. Dyfodol i’r Iaith wishes to see an increase in funding to support new Welsh speakers of all ages to use the Welsh language within the very areas that are essential to its future; the home, the community, shops, businesses and social life.

The Government has managed to increase spending in several areas, but not on the Welsh language.

Heini Gruffudd, Dyfodol’s Chair said, “We can never reach the goal of a bilingual Wales without the Government’s enthusiastic support. We need far-reaching programmes to promote the use of the language and to increase the number of Welsh speakers. If we do not safeguard this essential element, any enforcement measures, such as the language standards, will become increasingly irrelevant.”

“We will be pushing for a meeting with the First Minister as soon as possible to secure a full explanation of the situation and to emphasise the importance of this funding to the growth of the Welsh language.”