The Welsh Language Commissioner’s role was created by the Welsh Language (Wales) Bill 2011. Efa Gruffudd Jones is the Commissioner since January 2023.
We work to promote and facilitate the use of the Welsh language. By doing so we are contributing to realising our vision of a Wales where people can live their life in Welsh.
In actively promoting and facilitating the use of the Welsh language, the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 states that we must focus on increasing Welsh medium services and their use, and other opportunities for people to use the Welsh language.
The Measure also gives official status to the Welsh language in Wales and establishes the principle that the Welsh language should be treated no less favourably than the English language.
The Measure allows us to do a number of things to promote and facilitate the use of the Welsh language, Including:
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imposing and enforcing duties through the Welsh language standards
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encouraging and sharing successful practice
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producing and publishing reports and carrying out, or commissioning others to carry out, research
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carrying out, or commissioning others to carry out, educational activities
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making representations or giving advice to any person, including making written recommendations to the Welsh Ministers
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carrying out a statutory enquiry in a particular area
In the context of what the Measure enables us to do, our work can be divided into three related areas:
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Regulation
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Promotion
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Influence and communication
