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Government of Wales Bill

My Lords, for my part, I am deeply grateful to my noble friend Lord Evans and to the Government for tabling this amendment. I am very happy to accept the amendment and the Welsh Language Board is also satisfied. I believe that it satisfies all the objectives of the amendment which I have been pursuing with the Government for some weeks. In particular, in view of the comments of the noble Lord, Lord Roberts of Conwy, I point out that in subsection (8)(a) there is a provision for Welsh Ministers to publish an annual report on the effectiveness of their implementation of a strategy to promote and facilitate the use of the Welsh language. The Welsh language is in a vulnerable state and there is no doubt at all in my mind that this is an important amendment. It is a late hour and I do not want to delay the House, but I thank everyone who supported the original amendment in Grand Committee. I also thank the noble Lord, Lord Roberts of Conwy, for his generous words. There has been wholehearted support for the amendment from the Welsh Language Board, from the Gorsedd and from many individuals throughout Wales who care deeply for the language and who have written to Ministers in support. I also place on record my appreciation of the interest and vital support of the First Minister of the National Assembly, Mr Rhodri Morgan. I look forward to this amendment being part of the law of the land.