In the Seventh Senedd, the Welsh language has been debated mainly through Cabinet Minister Anna Brychan's statements and committee evidence. Members across parties say they support the language. Debate has centred on delivery: Welsh-medium school capacity, the workforce, tertiary provision, data and standards. Some Reform UK Members have raised concerns about compulsion and budgets.
The main arguments
Paul Davies (Welsh Conservatives) and Anna Brychan (Plaid Cymru) both back the million speakers target. Helen Jenner (Reform UK) said she is passionately in favour of the language. Brychan thanked the previous Senedd for passing the 2025 Act unanimously. Contributions: [1][2]
Anna Brychan (Plaid Cymru) set a goal of 50 per cent of children in Welsh-medium education by 2050. Paul Davies (Welsh Conservatives) noted that only 21 per cent are taught in Welsh-medium schools now and asked about learner travel. Contributions: [1][2]
The workforce is a recurring concern. Helen Jenner (Reform UK) asked how bilingual teachers will be retained. Mair Rowlands (Plaid Cymru) asked for modelling of teacher numbers. Paul Davies (Welsh Conservatives) asked for recruitment and retention targets. Contributions: [1][2][3]
On early years, Sioned Williams (Plaid Cymru) said Welsh-medium childcare will be part of the childcare expansion everywhere. Huw Thomas (Welsh Labour) asked how many settings are needed. Kiera Marshall (Plaid Cymru) raised limited Welsh-language nursery capacity. Contributions: [1][2][3]
On post-16 learning, Cefin Campbell (Plaid Cymru) said fewer than 1 per cent of further education provision is in Welsh and called this unacceptable. Vikki Howells (Welsh Labour) asked how earlier evidence would shape Welsh-medium delivery after 16. Contributions: [1][2]
On communities, Huw Thomas (Welsh Labour) asked how lessons from Cardiff's growth will be shared. Lis McLean (Plaid Cymru) noted growth elsewhere and backed community language planning. Brychan said the response to the commissions' reports is being developed. Contributions: [1][2][3]
Louise Emery (Reform UK) said coercion drives resentment, not fluency. Steven Rodaway (Reform UK) warned legal protections in high-density areas might discriminate against non-Welsh speakers. Mair Rowlands (Plaid Cymru) wanted the standards regime extended to more bodies. Contributions: [1][2][3]
Where the parties stand
Plaid Cymru
In government, Anna Brychan aims to implement the 2025 Act, reach 50 per cent in Welsh-medium education by 2050 and extend standards. Cefin Campbell wants far more Welsh-medium further education and apprenticeships. A new strategy will go to consultation in the autumn term. Contributions: [1][2][3][4][5]
Reform UK
Helen Jenner supports the language and presses on teacher retention. Louise Emery says choice, not mandate, should drive uptake. Steven Rodaway questions the survey data and the effect of legal protections. Catherine Cullen asked about college finances and the north-south gap. Contributions: [1][2][3][4][5][6]
Welsh Conservatives
Paul Davies backs the 1 million target, which was in his party's manifesto. He presses on capacity in Welsh-medium schools, the size of the workforce gap and what happens to Welsh skills after 16. Contributions: [1][2][3][4]
Welsh Labour
Huw Thomas asked about a fourth Welsh-medium secondary school in Cardiff and about the target to double daily use. Vikki Howells raised post-16 planning. Mike Hedges asked how staff will speak Welsh competently. Contributions: [1][2][3][4]
Welsh Liberal Democrats
Jane Dodds welcomed growth in Welsh-medium education in Powys, including all-age schools, and said the council needs more funding. Contributions: [1]
What the government is being pressed on
1Paul Davies (Welsh Conservatives) asked whether the system can deliver the 50 per cent goal. Siwan Jones, giving evidence with the Minister, said modelling is under way and growth must be gradual as parts of the Act are not yet in force. Contributions: [1][2][3]
2Steven Rodaway (Reform UK) asked how progress will be judged given doubts over survey figures. Anna Brychan said the census is the baseline. Jeremy Evas said options for measuring use are being examined, including international examples. Contributions: [1][2][3]
3Mair Rowlands (Plaid Cymru) asked for an update on extending standards. Anna Brychan said the work programme is being considered, some sectors need adding to the 2011 Measure, and Secretary of State consent is needed for Crown bodies. Contributions: [1][2]
4Catherine Cullen (Reform UK) asked how college finances and the north-south gap will be handled. Cefin Campbell said he expects Medr to lead. Ruth Meadows said Medr is reviewing its historic Welsh-medium funding model. Contributions: [1][2][3]
5Jane Dodds (Welsh Liberal Democrats) asked what funding Powys can expect for Welsh-medium schools. Anna Brychan said the commission's recommendations will be assessed for community impact, then resource implications. Contributions: [1][2]
What the public is asking for
One petition asks for a change to the Welsh for Adults approach so the million speakers target is met (155 signatures, open). Another asks for plastic-based uniforms to be phased out in favour of Welsh wool and natural fibres (7 signatures, open).
Who ministers are meeting
Ministers have met statutory language bodies, including the Welsh Language Commissioner and the chairs of the Commission for Welsh Speaking Communities. They have also met the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, early years organisations such as Mudiad Meithrin and Cwlwm, and Welsh learners and media at Eisteddfod events.
In the Sixth Senedd (2021 to 2026)
From the previous Senedd's record, for issues that run across both. The rest of this analysis covers the Seventh Senedd only.
In the Sixth Senedd, debate centred on the Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill, which Plaid Cymru and Welsh Labour worked on under the co-operation agreement. Members argued over how to measure progress towards a million speakers and over what 'Welsh language education' means. Standards and the Commission for Welsh-speaking Communities were also debated.
Jeremy Miles (Welsh Labour) said the census is the data source for the million target. Tom Giffard (Welsh Conservatives) argued the Government had not found a robust metric for progress. Contributions: [1][2]
Mark Drakeford (Welsh Labour) said the Bill goes beyond Welsh-medium education to Welsh language education. Cefin Campbell (Plaid Cymru) and witnesses worried that parents could confuse the terms. Contributions: [1][2][3]
Heledd Fychan (Plaid Cymru) said her party's ambition went further, favouring immersion, and that the workforce was missing from the Government's priorities. Eluned Morgan (Welsh Labour) introduced the CEFR to describe ability. Contributions: [1][2][3]
Adam Price (Plaid Cymru) said failing to extend standards frustrated the co-operation agreement. Later, Heledd Fychan noted the Commission for Welsh-speaking Communities made 57 recommendations. Contributions: [1][2]
Written by AI on 23 October 2026 from 108 contributions in the Senedd between 9 June 2026 and 14 October 2026, with the petitions and ministers' meetings on this brief. Each point links to the contributions it draws on; check them before quoting. How the analysis is written.
Where things stand
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.
People who say they can speak Welsh
27.4%
The year to 30 June 2026
A year earlier
27.2%(the year to 30 June 2025)
The share of people aged 3 or older who say they can speak Welsh, over the twelve months to each date.
The survey gives higher figures than the Census, which the Welsh Government uses to measure progress towards a million speakers: 17.8% in 2021. Interviews were held by telephone from March 2020 to autumn 2023, which slightly raised the share saying they can speak Welsh, so the publisher advises caution when reading the trend. The figures are no longer accredited official statistics because the survey's sample has fallen.
Grow the proportion of children and young people receiving Welsh‑medium education, and improve accessibility to Welsh‑medium education, setting local targets to ensure the steady growth of Welsh‑medium provision in all schools.
Increase the number of students able to access tertiary pathways in Welsh, supporting and developing the work of the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol and working with the Coleg and Medr to increase opportunities to study Welsh as a subject.
Support an increase in the number of teachers able to teach through the medium of Welsh, promoting and developing the Welsh‑language skills of practitioners and developing new sabbatical opportunities.
Publish and implement a new strategy for Cymraeg with a renewed focus on increasing the number of speakers to a million and more by 2050, doubling the daily use of the language, and ensuring that the language belongs to us all in Wales.
Work to strengthen the resilience of Cymraeg as a community language and in workplaces, implementing the recommendations of the commission for Welsh‑speaking communities, and work towards designating areas of higher linguistic sensitivity and protecting Welsh place names.
Work towards extending Welsh Language Standards to UK government bodies and to services operating in Wales, and ensure that Cymraeg is at the heart of all public policy, including health, housing, planning, transport, education, culture and the economy.
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.
From the Welsh Government
The Welsh Government's latest press releases and Cabinet statements on this brief.
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.
In the news
The latest headlines on this brief, linking to each outlet's story.
Each bar is the share of that party's speeches and questions in the Sixth Senedd that touched this brief, so large and small parties can be compared. The upright line marks the chamber as a whole: 3.1%.
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:
30 September 2026
Comisiynydd y Gymraeg / Welsh Language Commissioner
Meeting, Cabinet Minister for Health and Care
24 September 2026
National Conference Welsh Language Promotion Strategies
Meeting, Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
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 August 2026
Eisteddfod - Dysgwyr Cymraeg
Meeting, First Minister of Wales
28 July 2026
Meeting Ioan Matthews/CMEWL - Chief Executive of Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol
Meeting, Deputy Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education
28 July 2026
Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol
Meeting, Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
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 July 2026
Chairs of the Commission for Welsh Speaking Communities
Meeting, Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
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.
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.
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.
Contributions tagged in each month of the Sixth Senedd. No sittings were held in December 2024, February 2025, March 2025, April 2025, May 2025, June 2025, July 2025, August 2025, September 2025, October 2025, November 2025 and December 2025.Show the numbers
Month
Contributions
January 2024
106
February 2024
105
March 2024
40
April 2024
103
May 2024
74
June 2024
70
July 2024
85
August 2024
0
September 2024
328
October 2024
899
November 2024
39
December 2024
No sittings
January 2025
0
February 2025
No sittings
March 2025
No sittings
April 2025
No sittings
May 2025
No sittings
June 2025
No sittings
July 2025
How this brief is put together
This brief follows the Programme commitments listed above and tags the record with the phrases below. Keyword matching can miss business that discusses the issue in other words, and can tag a passing mention.
Show the phrases it uses
A contribution is tagged when its English text contains one of these phrases. Capital letters don't matter, except in abbreviations, which must match exactly. It is also tagged when the title of the agenda item or question it was part of contains one, as long as the contribution is at least 30 words long. The brief is also tagged whenever one of its themes is.
