Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions she has had with the Welsh Language Commissioner (a) on the topic of Welsh Language Standards and (b) in general.
Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales
The then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State met with the Welsh Language Commissioner earlier this year at the Urdd Eisteddfod where among other matters, they discussed the topics of Welsh Language Standards and Welsh Language Schemes. The now Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Minister McMorrin, looks forward to meeting the Welsh Language Commissioner this month and my officials also continue to engage with the Welsh Language Commissioner’s Office regularly.
Although the Welsh Language is a devolved matter, the UK Government has a role to play in supporting the Welsh Government’s Cymraeg 2050 strategy. This is most notably through ensuring that S4C as a public service broadcaster continues to promote the use of a thriving Welsh language.
The UK Government’s overarching goal is to continue to develop and expand Welsh language use and delivery. For example, we coordinate the officials led cross-Government Welsh Language Forum, which last met in September and was attended by a representative of the Welsh Language Commissioner’s Office. We publish content (graphics and videos) in both Welsh and English and all four social media channels operated by the Wales Office - X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. The Commissioner's office also regularly engages with individual UK Government departments to assist them in delivering their services in Wales through the medium of Welsh.
It is for the Welsh Ministers to specify, in regulations under the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011, the bodies to which the Welsh Language Commissioner may be required to comply with Welsh language standards. Where the Welsh Ministers seek to provide for standards to be specifically applicable to a Minister of the Crown, they must obtain the consent of the relevant Secretary of State.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment has she made of the extent to which Welsh language rights are fully respected in (a) government and (b) crown bodies operating in Wales.
Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales
The then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State met with the Welsh Language Commissioner earlier this year at the Urdd Eisteddfod where among other matters, they discussed the topics of Welsh Language Standards and Welsh Language Schemes. The now Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Minister McMorrin, looks forward to meeting the Welsh Language Commissioner this month and my officials also continue to engage with the Welsh Language Commissioner’s Office regularly.
Although the Welsh Language is a devolved matter, the UK Government has a role to play in supporting the Welsh Government’s Cymraeg 2050 strategy. This is most notably through ensuring that S4C as a public service broadcaster continues to promote the use of a thriving Welsh language.
The UK Government’s overarching goal is to continue to develop and expand Welsh language use and delivery. For example, we coordinate the officials led cross-Government Welsh Language Forum, which last met in September and was attended by a representative of the Welsh Language Commissioner’s Office. We publish content (graphics and videos) in both Welsh and English and all four social media channels operated by the Wales Office - X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. The Commissioner's office also regularly engages with individual UK Government departments to assist them in delivering their services in Wales through the medium of Welsh.
It is for the Welsh Ministers to specify, in regulations under the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011, the bodies to which the Welsh Language Commissioner may be required to comply with Welsh language standards. Where the Welsh Ministers seek to provide for standards to be specifically applicable to a Minister of the Crown, they must obtain the consent of the relevant Secretary of State.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of placing Welsh Language Standards on all Crown bodies.
Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales
The then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State met with the Welsh Language Commissioner earlier this year at the Urdd Eisteddfod where among other matters, they discussed the topics of Welsh Language Standards and Welsh Language Schemes. The now Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Minister McMorrin, looks forward to meeting the Welsh Language Commissioner this month and my officials also continue to engage with the Welsh Language Commissioner’s Office regularly.
Although the Welsh Language is a devolved matter, the UK Government has a role to play in supporting the Welsh Government’s Cymraeg 2050 strategy. This is most notably through ensuring that S4C as a public service broadcaster continues to promote the use of a thriving Welsh language.
The UK Government’s overarching goal is to continue to develop and expand Welsh language use and delivery. For example, we coordinate the officials led cross-Government Welsh Language Forum, which last met in September and was attended by a representative of the Welsh Language Commissioner’s Office. We publish content (graphics and videos) in both Welsh and English and all four social media channels operated by the Wales Office - X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. The Commissioner's office also regularly engages with individual UK Government departments to assist them in delivering their services in Wales through the medium of Welsh.
It is for the Welsh Ministers to specify, in regulations under the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011, the bodies to which the Welsh Language Commissioner may be required to comply with Welsh language standards. Where the Welsh Ministers seek to provide for standards to be specifically applicable to a Minister of the Crown, they must obtain the consent of the relevant Secretary of State.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of adherence to the Welsh Language Act 1993 in prisons in Wales.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
The new HMPPS Welsh Language Scheme (24-27), approved by the Welsh Language Commissioner, and published this month, sets out how the English and Welsh languages will be treated equally when delivering services to the public in line with requirements under the Welsh Language Act 1993. The Scheme commits to publishing an Annual Monitoring Report on progress, the first of which will be published in October 2026.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what consideration she has given to reviewing the funding formula for policing.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government is committed to ensuring that policing has the resources it needs and the allocation of funding to police forces remains an important consideration.
The Chancellor has announced a real terms increase in police spending power over the next three years. As with previous years, decisions on police force funding allocations for 2026-27 will be set out at the forthcoming police funding settlement.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of granting Cardiff capital city status to enable the city to receive additional funding for policing.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Cardiff has been the capital city of Wales since 1955 and is one of the four capital cities in the UK.
A National and International Capital City (NICC) grant is paid to the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police to reflect the unique demands of policing in London. The NICC grant is partially funded from a reallocation of the core funding for all police forces in England and Wales and as such, decisions on the level of the funding must consider its impact on wider policing.
South Wales Police will receive up to £441.7 million in 2025-26, an increase of up to £32.6 million when compared to 2024-25. Decisions on the allocation of NICC funding are taken at the time of the Police Settlement and as with previous years, more details on force funding allocations for 2026-27 will be made via the provisional police funding settlement later in the year.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what policy changes her Department is considering to improve the use of the apprenticeship levy within police forces in Wales.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government is committed to collaborating with the Devolved Governments on skills policy, to share best practice and support growth and opportunity throughout the UK.
We have allocated £2.4m as part of the police settlement for 2025/26 to reimburse the amount paid by Welsh forces in their levy contribution for police constable degree apprenticeships.
In addition, funding for Welsh forces is up to £1.0 billion in 2025-26, an increase of up to £57.4 million compared to 2024-25 (6.0% in cash terms).
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will publish the Police Reform White Paper.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Secretary is committed to publishing a Police Reform White Paper this year. More information on the White Paper and the future of Policing in England and Wales will be shared with Parliament in due course.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the migration of smart meters to second generation.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The migration of first-generation (SMETS1) smart meters onto the Data Communications Company (DCC) network is now complete. This means that all SMETS1 smart meters on the DCC network are able to retain smart services upon switching energy suppliers, just as second generation (SMETS2) smart meters do.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent discussions he has had with the Energy Ombudsman on the effectiveness of its dispute resolution process in providing redress for customers.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
On 19 June the Government announced that we will consult on strengthening the Energy Ombudsman to ensure that suppliers comply with its final decisions or pay compensation to their customers. We also announced that we would consult on proposals to make referrals to the Ombudsman automatic instead of consumers having to do this themselves, and on waiting time for referrals being cut from 8 weeks to 4 weeks.
The Government is working with Ofgem to look at increasing the value of base-level automatic compensation from £40, following the first increase since the payments were introduced a decade ago.
Ofgem is also looking at expanding automatic compensation to cover more key issues faced by consumers, including excessively long call waiting times, unexpectedly high bills when suppliers fail to adjust their direct debits, suppliers not responding to complaints, or suppliers not complying with Energy Ombudsman final decisions. This will ensure that consumers can get fairer, quicker, and easier compensation when things go wrong.