Welsh language 'faces challenges', survey reveals

The results of a survey into how people use the Welsh language have been published.

The Welsh Language Use Survey 2013-15 is designed to understand the level of people’s ability in the language, how often it is used and in what contexts.

The main findings show:

• Both the percentage and the number of fluent Welsh speakers are fairly similar to those in the Welsh Language Use Surveys of 2004-06, although 131,000 more people now say that they speak a little Welsh

• The percentage of people in Wales who speak Welsh daily has not changed since the Welsh Language Use Surveys of 2004-06, and there is a clear link between fluency and areas with the highest concentration of Welsh speakers.

• The areas with the highest concentration of fluent Welsh speakers (Gwynedd, the Isle of Anglesey, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire) saw the largest decreases in the number of fluent Welsh speakers since 2004-06. This reflects the decrease in the number of Welsh speakers in those areas noted in the 2011 Census.

• The largest increase in the number of fluent Welsh speakers since 2004-06 was seen in Cardiff and Rhondda Cynon Taf, with over 7,000 more fluent Welsh speakers in Cardiff and over 5,000 in Rhondda Cynon Taf.

• Young Welsh speakers are more likely to have learnt to speak Welsh at school than anywhere else while older Welsh speakers are more likely to have learnt Welsh at home as a young child than elsewhere.

• Over half of Welsh speakers try to use Welsh, at least occasionally, when dealing with public organisations

But First Minister Carwyn Jones has warned against becoming "complacent", adding: “This is a crucial time for the language and, as a Government, we remain determined to address the challenges it faces, ensuring that the language has a thriving and secure future across Wales."

The survey will help inform the Welsh Language Commissioner’s first five-year report on the position of the Welsh language, set to be published in 2016.