Translate the text from English to Welsh.



 
I wish to update Members on progress in relation to the appointment of the Welsh Language Commissioner (“Commissioner”).


On 1 June, I laid before the Assembly the Welsh Language Commissioner (Appointment) Regulations 2011 which set out the detail of the process for appointing the Commissioner. Bilingual copies of the regulations and accompanying Explanatory Memorandum are attached to this statement.


The regulations make provision about the membership of the selection panel which will be responsible for interviewing candidates and making recommendations to the First Minister in relation to the appointment.


During Assembly scrutiny of the Welsh Language Measure (Wales) Measure 2011 (“the Measure”), Assembly Members expressed a wish to be involved in the appointment process. Accordingly, the regulations provide that the selection panel will include: an Assembly Member nominated by a committee of the Assembly; a member of staff of the Welsh Government; an independent assessor; and a person with experience of promoting the use of Welsh and/or another language.


The selection process will be based on long\-established principles of openness and impartiality, with appointment based on merit. The regulations impose a duty upon the First Minister, in appointing the Commissioner, to follow the principles of Ministerial responsibility; merit; independent scrutiny; equal opportunities; probity; openness and transparency; and proportionality, taking into account the description of those principles set out in the Commissioner for Public Appointments’ Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies.


Given the context within which the Commissioner will be working and the cause which he or she will be championing, it is important that the Commissioner has the necessary language skills to effectively carry out his or her duties. Before making an appointment, the First Minister is required under these regulations to be satisfied that the person has sufficient knowledge of, and proficiency in, the Welsh language to exercise the functions of the Commissioner. To this end, the regulations require the selection panel to assess each candidate’s knowledge of and proficiency in the Welsh language and include the assessment in its recommendations to the First Minister.  This assessment will help provide the First Minister with the assurance he will require to be satisfied that the successful candidate is able to exercise his or her functions effectively.


I can announce that we aim to advertise the post of Commissioner in July, with a view to making an announcement regarding the successful candidate in the autumn. I wish to appoint the Commissioner as soon as possible, so that he or she can have an early input into the important work that lies ahead – including the need to ensure a speedy transition from the current system of language schemes under the Welsh Language Act 1993 to the new system of language standards provided for under the Measure. An early appointment will also enable the Commissioner to have an input into the process of establishing his or her office, for which preparations are already being made through discussions between the Welsh Government and the Welsh Language Board.


There will be an opportunity to debate these regulations in Plenary, scheduled for 28 June. In the meantime, I look forward to working with Assembly Members to appoint, as soon as possible, a Welsh Language Commissioner, and to support the Commissioner as he or she undertakes this vital role with regard to ensuring that the Welsh language continues to thrive, which is itself a key objective for the Welsh Government.





### Documents


* #### Memorandum,
 file type: doc, file size: 50 KB



50 KB
* #### Regulations,
 file type: doc, file size: 57 KB



57 KB







Translation:


 
Hoffwn hysbysu Aelodau o’r datblygiadau diweddaraf parthed penodi Comisiynydd y Gymraeg (“y Comisiynydd”).


 


Ar 1 Mehefin, gosodais gerbron y Cynulliad Reoliadau Comisiynydd y Gymraeg (Penodi) 2011 sy’n gosod allan manylion y broses ar gyfer penodi’r Comisiynydd. Mae copïau dwyieithog o’r rheoliadau a’r Memorandwm Esboniadol cysylltiedig ynghlwm wrth y datganiad hwn.


 


Mae’r rheoliadau yn gwneud darpariaeth ynghylch aelodaeth y panel dethol a fydd yn gyfrifol am gyfweld ymgeiswyr a gwneud argymhellion i Brif Weinidog Cymru ynghylch y penodiad.


Pan fu’r Cynulliad yn craffu ar Fesur y Gymraeg (Cymru) 2011 (“y Mesur”), mynegwyd dymuniad gan Aelodau’r Cynulliad i fod yn rhan o’r broses benodi. Yn unol â hynny,  mae’r rheoliadau yn darparu bydd y panel dethol yn cynnwys: Aelod Cynulliad a enwebir gan un o bwyllgorau’r Cynulliad; aelod o staff Llywodraeth Cymru; asesydd annibynnol a pherson sydd â phrofiad o hybu defnydd o'r Gymraeg a/neu iaith arall.  


Bydd y broses benodi yn seiliedig ar egwyddorion sydd wedi’u sefydlu dros amser, sef tryloywder a didueddrwydd, gyda phenodiad ar sail teilyngdod. Mae’r rheoliadau yn gosod dyletswydd ar Brif Weinidog Cymru, wrth benodi'r Comisiynydd, i ddilyn egwyddorion cyfrifoldeb Gweinidogion; teilyngdod; craffu annibynnol; cyfle cyfartal; uniondeb; didwylledd a thryloywder; a chymesuredd gan gymryd i ystyriaeth y disgrifiad o'r egwyddorion hynny yng Nghod Ymarfer y Comisiynydd Penodiadau Cyhoeddus ar gyfer Penodiadau gan Weinidogion i Gyrff Cyhoeddus.


O ystyried y cyd\-destun ar gyfer gwaith y Comisiynydd a’r achos y bydd yn eiriolwr drosto, mae’n bwysig bod gan y Comisiynydd y sgiliau ieithyddol sydd eu hangen i gyflawni ei ddyletswyddau yn effeithiol. O dan y rheoliadau hyn rhaid bod Prif Weinidog Cymru wedi ei fodloni bod gan y person wybodaeth ddigonol o’r Gymraeg a hyfedredd digonol ynddi i arfer swyddogaethau’r Comisiynydd. I’r perwyl hwn mae’r rheoliadau yn ei  gwneud hi’n ofynnol i’r panel dethol asesu gwybodaeth pob ymgeisydd o'r Gymraeg a'i hyfedredd ynddi, a chynnwys yr asesiad yn ei argymhellion i Brif Weinidog Cymru.  Bydd yr asesiad hwn o gymorth i roi’r sicrwydd y mae gofyn i Brif Weinidog Cymru  ei chael er mwyn iddo deimlo’n fodlon bod yr ymgeisydd llwyddiannus yn gallu arfer ei swyddogaethau’n effeithiol.


Gallaf gyhoeddi ein bod yn anelu i hysbysebu swydd y Comisiynydd ym mis Gorffennaf gyda’r bwriad o wneud cyhoeddiad parthed yr ymgeisydd llwyddiannus yn yr hydref. Rwy’n awyddus i benodi’r Comisiynydd cyn gynted â phosib fel ei fod yn cael cyfrannu at y gwaith pwysig sydd i’w wneud – gan gynnwys yr angen i sicrhau ein bod yn symud yn gyflym o’r drefn bresennol o gynlluniau iaith o dan Ddeddf yr Iaith Gymraeg 1993 i’r drefn newydd o safonau iaith a gyflwynir o dan y Mesur.  Bydd penodiad cynnar hefyd yn caniatáu i’r Comisiynydd gael mewnbwn i’r broses o sefydlu ei swyddfa – mater sydd eisoes yn destun paratoadau yn sgil trafodaethau rhwng Llywodraeth Cymru a Bwrdd yr Iaith Gymraeg.


Bydd cyfle i drafod y reoliadau hyn yn y Cyfarfod Llawn, sydd wedi’i amserlennu ar gyfer 28 Mehefin. Yn y cyfamser, edrychaf ymlaen at gydweithio gydag Aelodau’r Cynulliad i benodi Comisiynydd yr Iaith Gymraeg cyn gynted â phosib ac i gefnogi’r Comisiynydd wrth iddo fynd i’r afael â’r rôl allweddol hon o sicrhau bod y Gymraeg yn parhau i ffynnu, sydd ynddo’i hun yn amcan pwysig gan Lywodraeth Cymru.





### Dogfennau


* #### Memorandwm,
 math o ffeil: doc, maint ffeil: 50 KB



50 KB
* #### Rheoliadau,
 math o ffeil: doc, maint ffeil: 57 KB



57 KB