INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF WELSH LANGUAGE SPEAKERS

That this House welcomes the data published by the Office of National Statistics confirming that the number of Welsh speakers has risen to 874,700 from 726,600 in 2008; notes the Annual Population Survey asked 31,000 people about their ability to speak Welsh in 14,500 different households in the different council areas across Wales; further notes that the number of Welsh speakers for the population rose in every local authority except Flintshire and Torfaen; recognises that Gwynedd remains the area with the highest percentage of Welsh speakers; further recognises that the Welsh language is at the heart of Plaid Cymru's programme for government, with a pledge for unprecedented support to secure the future of the language; and calls on the UK and the Welsh Governments to encourage a greater use of Welsh and ensure that speakers have opportunities to use the language wherever they choose to do so.