The Welsh language

Statistics published by the Welsh Government. Each chart covers the years since the 2016 Senedd election, or as far back as the figures go, and marks each election since.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

How we show official statistics

The Programme for Government 2026 to 2030 belongs to the Seventh Senedd. Choose the Seventh Senedd to see how often each commitment has come up.

Source: Welsh Government, Programme for government 2026 to 2030: New ambition for Wales, first published on 10 September 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Mentions are found by matching the names of plans, bodies and schemes; a mention says nothing about progress.

The Welsh Government's latest press releases and Cabinet statements on this brief.

1. Cabinet statement, 20 October 2026

   Welsh Language Commissioner

   Rt Hon Rhun ap Iorwerth MS, First Minister of Wales

2. Press release, 30 September 2026

   UNESCO highlights Wales’ global leadership in supporting languages in the digital age

   Wales's experience of bringing the Welsh language into the digital world is featured as a leading international example in a new UNESCO toolkit published today.

The latest headlines on this brief, linking to each outlet's story.

• Campaigners attack legacy of former Welsh Language Commissioner

  Nation.Cymru, 22 October 2026

Statements, debates and legislation in Plenary on this brief, newest first. Oral question sessions are counted in the contributions below.

1. 24 February 2026Statement

   Welsh-speaking Communities

   Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language

   Opened by Y Dirprwy Lywydd / The Deputy Presiding Officer21 contributions

2. 7 January 2025Statement

   Welsh language technology

   Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language

   Opened by Y Dirprwy Lywydd / The Deputy Presiding Officer1 contribution

3. 12 November 2024Debate

   The Welsh Language Commissioner’s Annual Report 2023-24

   Debate

   Opened by Y Llywydd / The Llywydd16 contributions

4. 5 November 2024Statement

   The UK Budget

   Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language

   Opened by Y Dirprwy Lywydd / The Deputy Presiding Officer43 contributions

5. 15 October 2024Statement

   Welsh language communities

   Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language

   Opened by Y Llywydd / The Llywydd21 contributions

6. 8 October 2024Statement

   Welsh-medium education through late immersion

   Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Education

   Opened by Y Dirprwy Lywydd / The Deputy Presiding Officer16 contributions

7. 1 October 2024Statement

   Welsh-medium education through late immersion

   Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Education

   Opened by Y Llywydd / The Llywydd1 contribution

8. 18 September 2024Debate

   Rhondda Cynon Taf National Eisteddfod: Securing a legacy for the Welsh language in the Valleys

   Short Debate

   Opened by Y Llywydd / The Llywydd14 contributions

Votes are tagged from their own titles and the agenda item they were held under.

Ministers' meetings with outside organisations and their engagements on this brief, from the register the Welsh Government publishes every three months. 14 since the 2026 election; the latest:

1. 30 September 2026

   Comisiynydd y Gymraeg / Welsh Language Commissioner

   Meeting, Cabinet Minister for Health and Care

2. 24 September 2026

   National Conference Welsh Language Promotion Strategies

   Meeting, Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language

3. 5 August 2026

   Eisteddfod- Cwlwm, and Mudiad Meithrin are launching Cymraeg i Blant's 10 year anniversary party

   Meeting, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Minister for Social Justice and Equality

4. 4 August 2026

   Eisteddfod - Dysgwyr Cymraeg

   Meeting, First Minister of Wales

5. 28 July 2026

   Meeting Ioan Matthews/CMEWL - Chief Executive of Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol

   Meeting, Deputy Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education

6. 28 July 2026

   Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol

   Meeting, Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language

7. 8 July 2026

   Meeting CMEWL/Chair of the Commission for Welsh-speaking Communities - Prof Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones

   Meeting, Deputy Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education

8. 8 July 2026

   Chairs of the Commission for Welsh Speaking Communities

   Meeting, Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language

Source: Welsh Government, ministerial meetings and engagements. The register is published three months or more after the meetings it lists.

No written questions on this brief in the Sixth Senedd yet.

2 petitions to the Senedd on this brief, open ones first, then by signatures:

1. Review and update Provisions 2-10 of The Learner Travel Measure (Wales) 2008.

   Closed

   2,185 signatures

2. Keep Welsh-speaking children with complex needs in Wales — stop placements in England

   Closed

   560 signatures

Committee sessions where this brief was on the agenda, newest first.

1. 4 March 2026Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee

   The Welsh Language

   General ministerial scrutiny

   74 contributions

2. 4 March 2026Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee

   Ministerial evidence session

   Arfor

   120 contributions

3. 12 February 2026Member Accountability Bill Committee

   Senedd Commissioner for Standards: provision relating to the Welsh language (Amendments 9, 2, 10)

   Group 10

   19 contributions

   • Rejected, 2 for, 2 against, 0 abstainedAmendment 9
   • Rejected, 2 for, 2 against, 0 abstainedAmendment 10

4. 24 October 2024Children, Young People, and Education Committee

   Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill - evidence session 16

   180 contributions

5. 23 October 2024Finance Committee

   Evidence session

   Financial implications of the Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill

   135 contributions

6. 21 October 2024Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee

   evidence session

   The Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill

   91 contributions

7. 17 October 2024Children, Young People, and Education Committee

   Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill - evidence session 15

   145 contributions

8. 17 October 2024Children, Young People, and Education Committee

   Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill - evidence session 14

   78 contributions

Articles by Senedd Research, the Senedd's impartial research service, on this brief, published in the Sixth Senedd.

1. Cymraeg for all? Creating meaningful opportunities to use Welsh

   19 March 2026

   Sustaining the Welsh language and promoting its use requires a complex set of policies and interventions.

2. Welsh Government debate: The Welsh Language Commissioner's Annual Report 2024-25: In Brief

   18 November 2025

   Ahead of the Senedd debate on the Welsh Language Commissioner’s Annual Report 2024-25 (18 November), we’re setting out some relevant background and key information.

3. Senedd to consider further amendments to the Welsh Language and Education Bill: In Brief

   2 May 2025

   Stage 3 of the Senedd’s consideration of the Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill will take place on Tuesday 6 May. In this article, we set out some relevant background, including our summary of changes to the Bill at Stage 2.

4. Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill: Summary of changes at Stage 2

   22 April 2025

   The Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill proposes changes to the way Welsh language education is planned and delivered, with an aim that all school pupils become independent Welsh language users by the time they reach the end of compulsory school age.

5. “A cultural Iron Curtain”? Wales, Brexit and the new relationship with the EU

   7 February 2025

   On Wednesday 12 February, the Senedd will debate the Culture shock report.

More from Senedd Research on this subject

Titles and summaries are Senedd Research's own, © Senedd Commission. How we match articles to briefs.

3,121 contributions in the Sixth Senedd, newest first.

1. Llyr GruffyddPlaid

   4 February 2026, Plenary

   90-second Statements

   …is not only on the field that we see the influence of the association. In recent years, it has put the Welsh language and our culture at the heart of everything. The association has shown that, yes, sport can be a cultural force, but also a positive economic and social force. Today, we thank…

   Tagged for: “Welsh language”Translated from WelshOfficial Record

2. Mark DrakefordLabour

   4 February 2026, Plenary

   Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language

   I thank Cefin Campbell for that. I can tell the Member, after what I said at the Urdd Eisteddfod back in May, that since then up until today, we've been able to deliver on 11 recommendations and hope to complete another six before the end of this Senedd term. So, we have already made some progress.…

   Tagged from the title of its item or question: “Welsh-speaking Communities”Translated from WelshOfficial Record

3. Cefin CampbellPlaid

   4 February 2026, Plenary

   Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language

   …report. You will bear in mind that your predecessor, Jeremy Miles, who held the portfolio for the Welsh language, commissioned this important work, because he, like many of us who live in Welsh-speaking communities, had seen a decline over a period of many decades, to the point where there is now a…

   Tagged for: “Welsh language”, “Welsh-speaking communities”Translated from WelshOfficial Record

4. Mark DrakefordLabour

   4 February 2026, Plenary

   Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language

   I thank Cefin Campbell, Llywydd. Since publishing our response to the commission's report, we have been working across departments to implement the recommendations. I have also held discussions with a number of stakeholders and my fellow Ministers. I will be making a statement to the Senedd on the…

   Tagged from the title of its item or question: “Welsh-speaking Communities”Translated from WelshOfficial Record

5. Cefin CampbellPlaid

   4 February 2026, Plenary

   Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language

   9. What progress has been made to achieve the recommendations of the report of the First Commission for Welsh-speaking Communities? OQ63780

   Tagged for: “Commission for Welsh-speaking Communities”Official Record

6. Mark DrakefordLabour

   4 February 2026, Plenary

   Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language

   I thank Tom Giffard for that question. When the Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill was going through the Senedd last term, we were pleased to pass the Bill unanimously across the Chamber. That was an important thing, to show the people of Wales that, here in the current Chamber, we are nearly…

   Tagged for: “Welsh Language and Education”, “Welsh Language”Translated from WelshOfficial Record

7. Tom GiffardConservative

   4 February 2026, Plenary

   Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language

   …are many things that we have disagreed on, but one thing that we do agree on is the importance of the Welsh language and the importance of the 'Cymraeg 2050' target. Around a year ago, we saw the leader of the Reform party, Nigel Farage, say that he wanted to scrap the 'Cymraeg 2050' target. We as…

   Tagged for: “Welsh language”, “Cymraeg 2050”, “Cymraeg”, “Welsh speakers”Translated from WelshOfficial Record

8. Mark DrakefordLabour

   4 February 2026, Plenary

   Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language

   …there are some parts of young people's lives where they're more likely to feel comfortable using the Welsh language—in sport, in culture and so on. But making sure that it is just as easy to use the Welsh language in the new digital world that some of us are having to get used to is absolutely…

   Tagged for: “Welsh language”Official Record

9. Lindsay WhittlePlaid

   4 February 2026, Plenary

   Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language

   I thank the Cabinet Secretary. I like to think positively myself. I look forward to 2050 to witness personally the success of the 'Cymraeg 2050' strategy; I shall be a mere 98 years young. But with the latest annual population survey revealing a worrying loss of 60,000 Welsh speakers in the last few…

   Tagged for: “Cymraeg 2050”, “Cymraeg”, “Welsh speakers”, “Welsh-medium”Official Record

10. Mark DrakefordLabour

    4 February 2026, Plenary

    Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language

    I thank Lindsay Whittle for the question, Llywydd. We operate across all Government departments to ensure that the Welsh language is mainstreamed in all policy areas. Each Cabinet Secretary has a responsibility to support 'Cymraeg 2050', and I meet regularly with each Cabinet Secretary to discuss…

    Tagged for: “Welsh language”, “Cymraeg 2050”, “Cymraeg”Official Record

11. Lindsay WhittlePlaid

    4 February 2026, Plenary

    Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language

    4. What discussions has the Cabinet Secretary had with Cabinet colleagues regarding the Welsh Government's 'Cymraeg 2050' plan to reach 1 million Welsh speakers by 2050? OQ63801

    Tagged for: “Cymraeg 2050”, “Cymraeg”, “million Welsh speakers”Official Record

12. Jayne BryantLabour

    3 February 2026, Plenary

    Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government: More Homes

    …where continued support through Cwmpas and the Perthyn project is enabling communities, particularly Welsh-speaking communities affected by housing market pressures, to bring forward locally grounded solutions. I've recently awarded Cwmpas a further £204,000 of funding for next year. Elsewhere, Tai…

    Tagged for: “Welsh-speaking communities”Official Record

13. Y Farwnes/Baroness Carr

    2 February 2026, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee

    Evidence session with the Lady Chief Justice

    …tribunals' judges to join in on the training, particularly when the training is in proficiency in the Welsh language. I suspect it'll be a capacity problem, whether or not we have capacity to support, but certainly we have good working relationships with Sir Gary. I'm sighted on his issues. There…

    Tagged for: “Welsh language”Official Record

14. Y Farwnes/Baroness Carr

    2 February 2026, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee

    Evidence session with the Lady Chief Justice

    So, I'm unaware of that concern. Nobody's drawn that to my attention, and I will follow it up. HMCTS's Welsh language scheme is approved by the Welsh Language Commissioner. Actually, we had a very good presentation by the Welsh Language Commissioner back last October in Bangor. So, I'm not aware of…

    Tagged for: “Welsh language”, “Welsh Language Commissioner”Official Record

15. Adam PricePlaid

    2 February 2026, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee

    Evidence session with the Lady Chief Justice

    Do we have time, Chair? Just a couple of questions to conclude from me. In terms of the Welsh language, just a specific question: the Welsh Language Commissioner has recently raised concerns about a consultation by the committee for regulations and procedures—I don't know whether that's the right…

    Tagged for: “Welsh language”, “Welsh Language Commissioner”Translated from WelshOfficial Record

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