Source: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2016/406/made
Timestamp: 2019-07-17 01:34:16
Document Index: 415770141

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 3', 'art 1', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'ART 1', 'ART 2', 'ART 3']

1.—(1) The title of these Regulations is the Welsh Language Standards (No. 5) Regulations 2016.
(2) These Regulations come into force on 22 March 2016.
a “member of staff” (“aelod o staff”) means an employee of a body, an individual working for a body but not a person appointed to a body by a county council or county borough council, the Welsh Ministers, a Minister of the Crown or Her Majesty (and “staff” (“staff”) must be construed accordingly).
(5) For the purposes of these Regulations references to an employee of a body includes a constable, a special constable and a police cadet working for a body.
(7) Nothing in these Regulations requires a body to comply with a standard in respect of an activity carried out by it or a service provided by it where it is carrying out that activity or providing that service on behalf of a third party under arrangements made between it and the third party.
3. The Welsh Ministers authorise the Welsh Language Commissioner to give a compliance notice to the persons listed in Schedule 6 requiring them to comply with any of the standards specified under regulation 2 and Schedules 1 to 5.
Amendment to the Welsh Language Standards (No. 1) Regulations 2015
4.—(1) The Welsh Language Standards (No. 1) Regulations 2015(2) are amended in accordance with paragraph (2).
(2) In Part 3 of Schedule 1 after paragraph 24 insert—
“24A A body is not required to comply with any of the standards in respect of an activity or a service where that activity is carried out or that service is provided as a result of an order under section 98 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009(3).”
ghin correspondence, and
4 Standards relating to a body holding interviews that are not open to the general public
(1) Interviews between a body and a person
If you invite or require a person (“P”) to attend an interview—
to assist you with an enquiry (for example as a witness to an event); or
if P has been arrested
you must ask P whether P wishes to use the Welsh language at the interview, and inform P that you will, if necessary, provide a translation service from Welsh to English for that purpose.
Standard 26A:
If you have invited or required a person (“P”) to attend an interview—
and P has informed you that P wishes to use the Welsh language at the interview, you must arrange for a simultaneous translation service from Welsh to English to be available at the interview (unless you conduct the interview in Welsh without the assistance of a translation service).
Standard 26B:
If you invited or required a person (“P”) to attend an interview—
and P has informed you that P wishes to use the Welsh language at the interview, you must arrange for a consecutive translation service from Welsh to English to be available at the interview (unless you conduct the interview in Welsh without the assistance of a translation service).
(2) Interviews between a body and more than one person
If you invite or require more than one person to attend an interview—
if one or more of those persons has been arrested
you must ask each person whether they wish to use the Welsh language at the interview, and inform them that you will, if necessary, provide a translation service from Welsh to English for that purpose.
and if one or more of those persons have informed you that they wish to use the Welsh language at the interview you must arrange for a simultaneous translation service from Welsh to English to be available at the interview (unless you conduct the interview in Welsh without the assistance of a translation service).
and if one or more of those persons have informed you that they wish to use the Welsh language at the interview you must arrange for a consecutive translation service from Welsh to English to be available at the interview (unless you conduct the interview in Welsh without the assistance of a translation service).
5 Standards relating to meetings arranged by a body that are open to the public
Standard 28: If you arrange a meeting that is open to the public you must state on any material advertising it, and on any invitation to it, that anyone attending is welcome to use the Welsh language at the meeting.
Standard 29: When you send invitations to a meeting that you arrange which is open to the public, you must send the invitations in Welsh.
if that person (or at least one of those persons) has informed you that he or she wishes to use the Welsh language at the meeting,
provide a simultaneous translation service from Welsh to English for that purpose (unless you conduct the meeting in Welsh without a translation service).
Standard 32: If you display any written material at a meeting that you arrange which is open to the public, you must ensure that the material is displayed in Welsh, and you must not treat any Welsh language text less favourably than the English language text.
6 Standards relating to public events organised or funded by a body
Standard 33: If you organise a public event, or fund at least 50% of a public event, you must ensure that, in promoting the event, the Welsh language is treated no less favourably than the English language (for example, in the way the event is advertised or publicised).
Standard 34: If you organise a public event, or fund at least 50% of a public event, you must ensure that the Welsh language is treated no less favourably than the English language at the event (for example, in relation to services offered to persons attending the event, in relation to signs displayed at the event and in relation to audio announcements made at the event).
7 Standard relating to a body’s publicity and advertising
Standard 35: Any publicity or advertising material that you produce must be produced in Welsh, and if you produce the material in Welsh and in English, you must not treat the Welsh language version less favourably than you treat the English language version.
8 Standards relating to a body displaying material in public
Standard 36: Any material that you display in public must be displayed in Welsh, and you must not treat any Welsh language version of the material less favourably than the English language version.
Standard 37: Any material that you display at a public exhibition organised by you must be displayed in Welsh, and you must not treat any Welsh language version of the material less favourably than you treat an English language version.
9 Standards relating to a body producing and publishing documents
Standard 38: Any documents that you produce for public use must be produced in Welsh.
Standard 39: If you produce agendas, minutes and other papers for meetings, conferences or seminars that are open to the public, you must produce them in Welsh.
Standard 40: Any licence, permit or certificate you produce must be produced in Welsh.
Standard 41: Any brochure, leaflet, pamphlet or card that you produce in order to provide information to the public must be produced in Welsh.
Standard 43: Any rules that you publish that apply to the public must be published in Welsh.
Standard 44: When you issue any statement to the press you must issue it in Welsh and, if there is a Welsh language version and an English language version of a statement, you must issue both versions at the same time.
Standard 45:
Standard 46: If you produce a document in Welsh and in English (whether separate versions or not), you must not treat any Welsh language version less favourably than you treat the English language version.
Standard 47: If you produce a Welsh language version and a separate English language version of a document, you must ensure that the English language version clearly states that the document is also available in Welsh.
10 Standards relating to a body producing and publishing forms
Standard 48: Any form that you make available to the public must be produced in Welsh.
Standard 48A: If you produce a Welsh language version and a separate English language version of a form, you must ensure that the English language version clearly states that the form is also available in Welsh.
Standard 48B: If you produce a form in Welsh and in English (whether separate versions or not), you must ensure that the Welsh language version is treated no less favourably than the English language version, and you must not differentiate between the Welsh and English versions in relation to any requirements that are relevant to the form (for example in relation to any deadline for submitting the form, or in relation to the time allowed to respond to the content of the form).
Standard 51:
Standard 52: If you have a Welsh language web page that corresponds to an English language web page, you must state clearly on the English language web page that the page is also available in Welsh, and you must provide a direct link to the Welsh page on the corresponding English page.
Standard 53: You must provide the interface and menus on every page of your website in Welsh.
Standard 54: All apps that you publish must function fully in Welsh, and the Welsh language must be treated no less favourably than the English language in relation to that app.
Standard 55: When you use social media you must not treat the Welsh language less favourably than the English language.
Standard 56: If a person contacts you by social media in Welsh, you must reply in Welsh (if an answer is required).
13 Standard relating to self service machines
Standard 57: You must ensure that any self service machines that you have function fully in Welsh, and the Welsh language must be treated no less favourably than the English language in relation to that machine.
14 Standards relating to signs displayed by a body
Standard 58: When you erect a new sign or renew a sign (including temporary signs), any text displayed on the sign must be displayed in Welsh (whether on the same sign as you display corresponding English language text or on a separate sign); and if the same text is displayed in Welsh and in English, you must not treat the Welsh language text less favourably than the English language text.
Standard 59: When you erect a new sign or renew a sign (including temporary signs) which conveys the same information in Welsh and in English, the Welsh language text must be positioned so that it is likely to be read first.
Standard 60: You must ensure that the Welsh language text on signs is accurate in terms of meaning and expression.
15 Standards relating to a body receiving visitors at its buildings
Standard 61: Any reception service you make available in English must also be available in Welsh, and any person who requires a Welsh language reception service must not be treated less favourably than a person who requires an English language reception service.
Standard 62: If you arrange a visit or appointment in advance for a person (“P”) which will mean that P will come to your reception, you must ask P whether P wishes to receive a Welsh language reception service (unless you already know whether P wishes to receive that service in Welsh).
Standard 62A:
Standard 63: If you have no face to face Welsh language reception service available, you must ensure that a Welsh language reception service is available over a phone in your reception.
Standard 64: You must display a sign in your reception which states (in Welsh) that persons are welcome to use the Welsh language at the reception.
Standard 65: You must ensure that staff at the reception who are able to provide a Welsh language reception service wear a badge to convey that.
16 Standards relating to notices made by a body
Standard 66: Any notice that you publish or display must be published or displayed in Welsh, and you must not treat any Welsh language version of a notice less favourably than an English language version.
Standard 67: When you publish or display a notice that contains Welsh language text as well as English language text, the Welsh language text must be positioned so that it is likely to be read first.
17 Standards relating to a body awarding grants
Standard 68: Any documents that you publish which relate to applications for a grant must be published in Welsh, and you must not treat a Welsh language version of such documents less favourably than an English language version.
Standard 69: When you invite applications for a grant, you must state in the invitation that applications may be submitted in Welsh and that any application submitted in Welsh will be treated no less favourably than an application submitted in English.
Standard 69A: You must not treat applications for a grant submitted in Welsh less favourably than applications submitted in English (including, amongst other matters, in relation to the closing date for receiving applications and in relation to the timescale for informing applicants of decisions).
Standard 70: If you receive an application for a grant in Welsh and it is necessary to interview an applicant as part of your assessment of the application, you must offer to conduct that interview in Welsh and, if the applicant so wishes, you must conduct the interview in Welsh (without the assistance of a simultaneous or consecutive translation service).
Standard 72: When you inform an applicant of your decision in relation to an application for a grant, you must do so in Welsh if the application was submitted in Welsh.
18 Standards relating to a body awarding contracts
Standard 73: Any invitations to tender for a contract that you publish must be published in Welsh, and you must not treat a Welsh language version of any invitation less favourably than an English language version.
Standard 74: When you publish invitations to tender for a contract, you must state in the invitation that tenders may be submitted in Welsh, and that a tender submitted in Welsh will be treated no less favourably than a tender submitted in English.
Standard 74A: You must not treat a tender for a contract submitted in Welsh less favourably than a tender submitted in English (including, amongst other matters, in relation to the closing date for receiving tenders, and in relation to the timescale for informing tenderers of decisions).
Standard 75: If you receive a tender in Welsh and it is necessary to interview a tenderer as part of your assessment of the tender, you must offer to conduct that interview in Welsh and, if the tenderer so wishes, you must conduct the interview in Welsh (without the assistance of a simultaneous or consecutive translation service).
Standard 77: When you inform a tenderer of your decision in relation to a tender, you must do so in Welsh if the tender was submitted in Welsh.
19 Standards for raising awareness about Welsh language services provided by a body
Standard 78: You must promote any Welsh language service that you provide, and advertise that service in Welsh.
Standard 79: If you provide a service in Welsh that corresponds to a service you provide in English, any publicity or document that you produce, or website that you publish, which refers to the English service must also state that a corresponding service is available in Welsh.
20 Standard relating to a body’s corporate identity
Standard 80: When you form, revise or present your corporate identity, you must not treat the Welsh language less favourably than the English language.
21 Standards relating to courses offered by a body
Standard 81: If you offer an education course that is open to the public, you must offer it in Welsh.
Standard 82: If you offer an education course that is open to the public and which is aimed specifically at persons aged 18 or under, you must offer it in Welsh.
Standard 83: If you develop an education course that is to be offered to the public, you must assess the need for that course to be offered in Welsh; and you must ensure that the assessment is published on your website.
22 Standard relating to public address systems used by a body
Standard 84: When you announce a message over a public address system, you must make that announcement in Welsh and, if the announcement is made in Welsh and in English, the announcement must be made in Welsh first.
23 When a compliance notice requires a body to comply with one of the standards listed on a specific row in column 1 of Table 1, that compliance notice must also require that body to comply (in whatever way the Welsh Language Commissioner considers appropriate) with the standard or standards listed in column 2 of that row (or with one or more of those standards where that is stated).
(13) Interviews with one person
(14) Interviews with one person
Standard 26A or 26B Standard 26
(15) Interviews with more than one person
(16) Interviews with more than one person
Standard 27A or 27B Standard 27
(17) Public Meetings
Standard 28 Standard 31
(18) Public Meetings
Standard 31 Standard 28
Standards 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, or 45
Standard 48A
Standard 48B
Standard 49, 50 or 51
Standard 58 or 59 Standard 60
(23) Reception
(24) Reception
Standard 62 Standard 62A
(25) Reception
Standard 63 Standard 64
(26) Raising awareness of Welsh-language services in a reception
(27) Grants
(28) Grants
Standard 70 or 71
(29) Contracts
Standard 74A
(30) Contracts
Standard 75 or 76
10 The standards specified in Part 1 of this Schedule must be interpreted as follows.
a requirement to provide a service in Welsh does not mean that that service should only be provided in Welsh (unless that is specifically stated in the standard).
(a)“Welsh Language Scheme” means a Welsh language scheme produced in accordance with Part 2 of the Welsh Language Act 1993(4);
(c)“the 2006 Act” means the Government of Wales Act 2006(5);
(1) If the conditions in sub-paragraphs (a) to (c) are met or the condition in paragraph (2) is met, a body is not required to comply with any of the standards in respect of an activity or a service referred to in sub-paragraph (b)—
(b)The second condition is that the activity being carried out or the service being provided by the body is necessary for the purpose of preventing, controlling or mitigating an aspect or effect of an emergency.
(3) If the condition in paragraph (2) is met, then the reference to “an emergency” in sub-paragraph (1)(b) is to be read as “the simulated emergency”.
30 If the body is protecting nuclear materials in transit, a body is not required to comply with any of the standards in respect of that activity or service.
31 For the purposes of standards 2, 3 and 21, a body corresponds with an individual or makes a telephone call to an individual for the first time when it corresponds or makes a telephone call for the first time after the date on which a compliance notice has required the body to comply with the standard.
Standards 8 to 11 and 14 to 17 do not apply to calls made to the following telephone numbers—
33 In standard 22 an “automated” telephone system means a system that answers telephone calls and guides persons through a set procedure with a recorded message which, for example, asks a person to press different keys in order to choose different options.
34 Standards 23, 24, 24A, 24B, 25, 25A, 25B, 25C, 25CH and 25D do not apply when the meeting is held at short notice (for example, when a body makes door to door enquiries).
Standard 34 does not apply to—
Where a standard refers to material that is to be produced in Welsh (with the exception of standards 49 to 54 (websites and apps), 55 and 56 (social media) and 73 (invitations to tender)), references to treating the Welsh language no less favourably than the English language, or to treating a Welsh language version no less favourably than an English language version, include, amongst other matters (and in addition to specific matters referred to in any individual standard), treating the Welsh language no less favourably as regards —
37 For the purposes of standards 38, 39, 42, 45 and 48, references to documents or other materials being available to the public or being produced for public use do not include documents or materials that are only available to the public by virtue of the Freedom of Information Act 2000(6).
(1) Standards 48, 48A and 48B do not apply to the forms listed in sub-paragraph (3).
(a)forms used by a body to recruit employees (see standards 135A, 136 and 137 in relation to recruitment);
(b)forms used when applying for grant assistance from a body (see standards 68 to 72 in relation to applications for grants);
(c)forms used when submitting a tender to enter into a contract with a body (see standards 73 to 77 in relation to tendering for a contract).
39 Standards 38, 43, 45, 46 and 47 do not apply to an enactment made by a body or to a draft enactment prepared by a body.
40 Standards 38, 41, 42 and 45 do not apply to any advertising material contained in a document, brochure, leaflet, pamphlet or card.
Standards 49 to 53 (websites) do not apply to —
documents to which a link is provided on a website, advertising material on a website, or to video and audio clips on a website (see standards 38 to 47 for specific provision in relation to documents, and standard 35 in relation to advertising material produced by a body);
(1) For the purpose of standard 54 an ‘app’ is a software application designed to undertake a specific task on an electronic device.
(2) Standard 54 does not apply to any advertising material on an app (see standard 35 in relation to advertising material produced by a body).
For the purpose of standards 49 to 54 (websites and apps) and standards 55 and 56 (social media), references to treating the Welsh language no less favourably than the English language include, amongst other matters (and in addition to specific matters referred to in any individual standard), treating the Welsh language no less favourably as regards —
(1) Standards 1 to 7 (correspondence) do not apply to correspondence sent by social media (see standards 55 and 56 in relation to social media).
(2) Standards 49 to 54 (websites and apps) do not apply to social media (see standards 55 and 56 in relation to social media).
Standards 55 and 56 (social media) do not apply to —
documents to which a link is provided through social media, or to video and audio clips provided through social media (see standards 38 to 47 for specific provision in relation to documents, and standard 35 in relation to advertising material produced by a body);
46 For the purpose of standard 57 (self service machines) reference to treating the Welsh language no less favourably than the English language includes, amongst other matters, treating the Welsh language no less favourably as regards the visual presentation of the material (for example in relation to the colour, size, font and format of any text), but it does not mean that Welsh language material must appear on screen at the same time as English language material.
For the purposes of standards 61 to 65 (receiving visitors) —
“reception” means an area in a body’s offices and service locations where staff are made available for the purpose of welcoming persons – but see sub-paragraph (c);
subject to paragraph (ch) a reception does not include the area of a police station where a person is ordinarily received in order that a custody officer (within the meaning of section 36 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984(7)) determines within the meaning of section 37 of that Act whether there is sufficient evidence to detain or charge a person with an offence (“the custody unit”);
if the custody unit and reception are the same area in a body’s offices, standards 61 to 65 only apply in relation to receiving visitors in that area as a reception.
48 For the purposes of standards 7, 66 and 67 a “notice” means any notice that a body publishes, but it does not include notices prescribed by an enactment.
For the purposes of standard 73 (invitation to tender) —
(ch)(ch) when and how the material is published, provided or exhibited;
(1) For the purposes of standard 80, the reference to a body forming or presenting its “corporate identity” includes, amongst other things, the way a body presents itself by means of visual statements, the name or names used by a body, and a body’s branding and slogans (for example, branding and slogans printed on its stationery).
(2) Standard 80 does not apply to the extent that an enactment requires a body to use a legal name.
For the purposes of standards 81, 82 and 83 (courses), an “education course” means any seminar, training, workshop or similar provision which is provided in order to educate or to improve the skills of members of the public; but does not include—
Standard 89:
You must produce and publish a policy on awarding grants (or, where appropriate, amend an existing policy) which requires you to take the following matters into account when you make decisions in relation to the awarding of a grant —
what effects, if any (and whether positive or negative), the awarding of a grant would have on—
how the decision could be taken or implemented (for example, by imposing conditions of grant) so that it would have positive effects, or increased positive effects, on—
how the decision could be taken or implemented (for example, by imposing conditions of grant) so that it would not have adverse effects, or so that it would have decreased adverse effects on—
whether you need to ask the applicant for any additional information in order to assist you in assessing the effects of awarding a grant on—
Standard 93:
Standard 95: You must develop a policy on using Welsh internally for the purpose of promoting and facilitating the use of the language, and you must publish that policy on your intranet.
Standard 96: When you offer a new post to an individual, you must ask that individual whether he or she wishes for the contract of employment or contract for services to be provided in Welsh; and if that is the individual’s wish you must provide the contract in Welsh.
ask each employee whether he or she wishes to receive any paper correspondence that relates to his or her employment, and which is addressed to him or her personally, in Welsh, and
if an employee so wishes, provide any such correspondence to that employee in Welsh.
Standard 98: You must ask each employee whether he or she wishes to receive any documents that outline his or her training needs or requirements in Welsh; and if that is the employee’s wish you must provide any such documents to him or to her in Welsh.
Standard 99: You must ask each employee whether he or she wishes to receive any documents that outline his or her performance objectives in Welsh; and if that is the employee’s wish you must provide any such documents to him or to her in Welsh.
Standard 100 You must ask each employee whether he or she wishes to receive any documents that outline or record his or her career plan in Welsh; and if that is the employee’s wish you must provide any such documents to him or to her in Welsh.
You must ask each employee whether he or she wishes to receive any forms that record and authorise —
absences from work, and
in Welsh; and if that is an employee’s wish, you must provide any such forms to him or to her in Welsh.
Standard 102: If you publish a policy relating to behaviour in the workplace, you must publish it in Welsh.
Standard 103: If you publish a policy relating to health and well-being at work, you must publish it in Welsh.
Standard 104: If you publish a policy relating to salaries or workplace benefits, you must publish it in Welsh.
Standard 105: If you publish a policy relating to performance management, you must publish it in Welsh.
Standard 106: If you publish a policy about absence from work, you must publish it in Welsh.
Standard 107: If you publish a policy relating to working conditions, you must publish it in Welsh.
Standard 108: If you publish a policy regarding work patterns, you must publish it in Welsh.
Standard 109:
You must allow each member of staff —
to make complaints to you in Welsh, and
to respond in Welsh to any complaint made about him or about her.
Standard 109A:
You must state in any document that you have that sets out your procedures for making complaints that each member of staff may —
If you receive a complaint from a member of staff or a complaint about a member of staff, and a meeting is required with that member of staff, you must —
offer to conduct the meeting in Welsh, and
if the member of staff wishes for the meeting to be conducted in Welsh, conduct the meeting in Welsh (without the assistance of a simultaneous or consecutive translation service).
ask the member of staff whether he or she wishes to use the Welsh language at the meeting;
explain that you will provide a translation service from Welsh to English for that purpose if it is required;
and if the member of staff wishes to use the Welsh language, you must provide a simultaneous translation service from Welsh to English at the meeting (unless you conduct the meeting in Welsh without translation services).
When you inform a member of staff of a decision you have reached in relation to a complaint made by him or by her, or in relation to a complaint made about him or about her, you must do so in Welsh if that member of staff—
responded in Welsh to a complaint about him or about her,
Standard 113: You must allow all members of staff to respond in Welsh to allegations made against them in any internal disciplinary process.
Standard 113A:
state in any document that you have which sets out your arrangements for disciplining staff that any member of staff may respond in Welsh to any allegations made against him or against her, and
Standard 114:
If you organise a meeting with a member of staff regarding a disciplinary matter that relates to his or to her conduct you must —
offer to conduct the meeting in Welsh; and
Standard 115:
If you organise a meeting with a member of staff regarding a disciplinary matter that relates to his or her conduct you must —
ask the member of staff whether he or she wishes to use the Welsh language at the meeting, and
explain that you will provide a translation service for that purpose if it is required;
and, if the member of staff wishes to use the Welsh language, you must provide a simultaneous translation service from Welsh to English at the meeting (unless you conduct the meeting in Welsh without a translation service).
Standard 116:
When you inform a member of staff of a decision you have reached following a disciplinary process, you must do so in Welsh if that member of staff—
responded to allegations made against him or her in Welsh,
asked for a meeting regarding the disciplinary process to be conducted in Welsh, or
asked to use the Welsh language at a meeting regarding the disciplinary process.
Standard 117: You must provide staff with computer software for checking spelling and grammar in Welsh, and provide Welsh language interfaces for software (where an interface exists).
Standard 118:
You must ensure that each time you publish a new intranet page or amend a page —
Standard 121: If you have a Welsh language page on your intranet that corresponds to an English language page, you must state clearly on the English language page that the page is also available in Welsh, and must provide a direct link to the Welsh language page on the corresponding English language page.
Standard 122: You must designate and maintain a page (or pages) on your intranet which provides services and support material to promote the Welsh language and to assist your staff to use the Welsh language.
Standard 123: You must provide the interface and menus on your intranet pages in Welsh.
Standard 124: You must assess the Welsh language skills of your employees.
Standard 125:
You must provide training in Welsh in the following areas, if you provide such training in English —
Standard 126:
You must provide training (in Welsh) on using Welsh effectively in —
Standard 127:
You must provide opportunities during working hours —
Standard 128: You must provide opportunities for employees who have completed basic Welsh language training to receive further training, free of charge, to develop their language skills.
Standard 129:
You must provide training courses so that your employees can develop —
an understanding of the duty to operate in accordance with the Welsh language standards;
Standard 130: When you provide information to new employees (for example by means of an induction process), you must provide information for the purpose of raising their awareness of the Welsh language.
Standard 131: You must provide wording or a logo for your staff to include in e-mail signatures which will enable them to indicate whether they speak Welsh fluently or whether they are learning the language.
Standard 132: You must provide wording for your employees which will enable them to include a Welsh language version of their contact details in e-mail messages, and to provide a Welsh language version of any message which informs others that they are unavailable to respond to e-mail messages.
Standard 133 You must make available to members of staff who are able to speak Welsh a badge for them to wear to convey that.
Standard 133A You must promote to members of staff the wearing of a badge that conveys that a member of staff is able to speak Welsh.
Standard 134:
When you assess the requirements for a new or vacant post, you must assess the need for Welsh language skills, and categorise it as a post where one or more of the following apply —
Standard 134A:
If you have categorised a post as one where Welsh language skills are essential, desirable or need to be learnt you must —
Standard 135: When you advertise a post, you must state that applications may be submitted in Welsh, and that an application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application submitted in English.
Standard 135A:
If you publish —
information about your interview process, or about other assessment methods when applying for posts;
Standard 135B: You must not treat an application for a post made in Welsh less favourably than you treat an application made in English (including, amongst other matters, in relation to the closing date you set for receiving applications and in relation to any timescale for informing individuals of decisions).
Standard 136: You must ensure that your application forms for posts provide a space for individuals to indicate that they wish an interview or other method of assessment in Welsh and if an individual so wishes, you must conduct any interview or other method of assessment in Welsh (without the assistance of a simultaneous or consecutive translation service).
Standard 137:
You must ensure that your application forms for posts —
provide a space for individuals to indicate that they wish to use the Welsh language at an interview or at any other method of assessment, and
and, if the individual wishes to use the Welsh language at the interview or assessment, you must provide a simultaneous translation service at the interview or assessment (unless you conduct the interview or assessment in Welsh without that translation service).
Standard 138: When you inform an individual of your decision in relation to an application for a post, you must do so in Welsh if the application was made in Welsh.
7 Standards relating to signs displayed in a body’s workplace
Standard 139: When you erect a new sign or renew a sign in your workplace (including temporary signs), any text displayed on the sign must be displayed in Welsh (whether on the same sign as the corresponding English language text or on a separate sign), and if the same text is displayed in Welsh and in English, you must not treat the Welsh language text less favourably than the English language text.
Standard 140: When you erect a new sign or renew a sign in your workplace (including temporary signs) which conveys the same information in Welsh and in English, the Welsh language text must be positioned so that it is likely to be read first.
Standard 141: You must ensure that the Welsh language text on signs displayed in your workplace is accurate in terms of meaning and expression.
8 Standard relating to audio announcements and messages in a body’s workplace
Standard 142: When you make announcements in the workplace using audio equipment, that announcement must be made in Welsh, and if the announcement is made in Welsh and in English, the announcement must be made in Welsh first.
(1) Complaints procedures
Standard 109 Standard 109A
(2) Complaints procedures
Standard 109A Standard 109
(3) Disciplining staff
Standard 113 Standard 113A
(4) Disciplining staff
Standard 113A Standard 113
Standards 118, 119 or 120 Standard 121
(6) Recruitment and appointments
Standard 134 Standard 134A
Standard 135A
Standard 135B
(8) Internal signs
Standard 139 Standard 141
(a)“Welsh Language Scheme” means a Welsh language scheme produced in accordance with Part 2 of the Welsh Language Act 1993;
(c)“the 2006 Act” means the Government of Wales Act 2006;
For the purposes of standards 118, 119 and 120 (a body’s intranet), references to treating the Welsh language no less favourably than the English language include, amongst other matters (and in addition to specific matters referred to in any individual standard), treating the Welsh language no less favourably as regards—
the visual presentation of the material (for example in relation to the colour, size, font and format of any text);
For the purposes of standards 135A (recruitment) and 139 (internal signs), references to treating the Welsh language no less favourably than the English language includes, amongst other matters (and in addition to specific matters referred to in any individual standard), treating the Welsh language no less favourably as regards —
when and how material is published, provided or exhibited;
14 For the purposes of the standards a requirement to publish, provide or display any written material in Welsh does not mean that material should be published, provided or, displayed in Welsh only, nor does it mean that the material should be produced in Welsh first (unless that is specifically stated in the standard).
Standards 120 to 121 (intranet) do not apply to—
documents to which a link is provided on the intranet, advertising material on the intranet, or to video and audio clips on the intranet (see standards 102 to 108 for specific provision in relation to documents);
For the purposes of standards 134 and 134A only —
17 Standard 142 does not apply when the message that you announce over a public address system is made during an emergency or an emergency drill.
Standard 143: You must keep a record, in relation to each financial year, of the number of complaints you receive relating to your compliance with standards.
Standard 144: You must keep a copy of any written complaint that you receive that relates to your compliance with the standards with which you are under a duty to comply.
Standard 145: You must keep a copy of any written complaint that you receive that relates to the Welsh language (whether or not that complaint relates to the standards with which you are under a duty to comply).
Standard 146: You must keep a record of the steps that you have taken in order to ensure compliance with the policy making standards with which you are under a duty to comply.
Standard 147: You must keep a record (following assessments of your employees’ Welsh language skills made in accordance with standard 124), of the number of employees who have Welsh language skills at the end of each financial year and, where you have that information, you must keep a record of the skill level of those employees.
Standard 148:
You must keep a record, for each financial year of—
the number of members of staff who attended training courses provided in Welsh (in accordance with standard 125), and
if a Welsh version of a course was provided in accordance with standard 125, the percentage of the total number of staff attending the course who attended that version.
Standard 149: You must keep a record of the number of members of staff who wear a badge (made available to them in accordance with standard 133) at the end of each financial year.
Standard 150: You must keep a copy of every assessment that you carry out (in accordance with standard 134) in respect of the Welsh language skills that may be needed in relation to a new or vacant post.
Standard 151:
You must keep a record, in relation to each financial year, of the number of new and vacant posts which were categorised (in accordance with standard 134) as posts where—
3 For the purposes of standards 143, 147, 148, 149 and 151 “financial year” means the body’s own financial year.
PART 1SERVICE DELIVERY STANDARDS
1 A body publicising service delivery standards
Standard 152:
You must ensure that a document which records the service delivery standards with which you are under a duty to comply, and the extent to which you are under a duty to comply with those standards, is available—
Standard 153:
ensure that you have a complaints procedure that deals with the following matters—
how you intend to deal with complaints relating to your compliance with the service delivery standards with which you are under a duty to comply, and
how you will provide training for your staff in relation to dealing with those complaints,
publish a document that records that procedure on your website, and
ensure that a copy of that document is available in each of your offices that are open to the public.
3 A body publishing arrangements for oversight, promotion etc.
Standard 154:
ensure that you have arrangements for—
overseeing the way you comply with the service delivery standards with which you are under a duty to comply,
promoting the services that you offer in accordance with those standards, and
facilitating the use of those services,
publish a document that records those arrangements on your website, and
4 A body producing an annual report regarding service delivery standards
Standard 155:
(1) You must produce a report (an “annual report”), in Welsh, in relation to each financial year, which deals with the way in which you have complied with the service delivery standards with which you were under a duty to comply during that year.
(2) The annual report must include the number of complaints that you received during that year which related to your compliance with the service delivery standards with which you were under a duty to comply.
(4) You must publicise the fact that you have published an annual report.
(5) You must ensure that a current copy of your annual report is available—
(a)on your website, and
(b)in each of your offices that are open to the public.
5 A body publicising the way it intends to comply with service delivery standards
Standard 156: You must publish a document on your website which explains how you intend to comply with the service delivery standards with which you are under a duty to comply.
6 A body providing information to the Welsh Language Commissioner
Standard 157: You must provide any information requested by the Welsh Language Commissioner which relates to your compliance with the service delivery standards with which you are under a duty to comply.
PART 2POLICY MAKING STANDARDS
7 A body publicising policy making standards
Standard 158:
You must ensure that a document which records the policy making standards with which you are under a duty to comply, and the extent to which you are under a duty to comply with those standards, is available—
8 A body publishing a complaints procedure
Standard 159:
how you intend to deal with complaints relating to your compliance with the policy making standards with which you are under a duty to comply, and
9 A body publishing arrangements for oversight
Standard 160:
ensure that you have arrangements for overseeing the way you comply with the policy making standards with which you are under a duty to comply,
10 A body producing an annual report regarding policy making standards
Standard 161:
(1) You must produce a report (an “annual report”), in Welsh, in relation to each financial year, which deals with the way in which you have complied with the policy making standards with which you were under a duty to comply during that year.
(2) The annual report must include the number of complaints you received during the year which related to your compliance with the policy making standards with which you were under a duty to comply.
11 A body publicising the way it intends to comply with policy making standards
Standard 162: You must publish a document on your website which explains how you intend to comply with the policy making standards with which you are under a duty to comply.
12 A body providing information to the Welsh Language Commissioner
Standard 163: You must provide any information requested by the Welsh Language Commissioner which relates to compliance with the policy making standards with which you are under a duty to comply.
PART 3OPERATIONAL STANDARDS
13 A body publicising operational standards
Standard 164:
You must ensure that a document which records the operational standards with which you are under a duty to comply, and the extent to which you are under a duty to comply with those standards, is available—
14 A body publishing a complaints procedure
Standard 165:
how you intend to deal with complaints relating to your compliance with the operational standards with which you are under a duty to comply, and
how you will provide training for your staff in relation to dealing with those complaints, and
publish a document that records that procedure on your intranet.
15 A body publishing oversight arrangements, promotion etc.
Standard 166:
overseeing the way you comply with the operational standards with which you are under a duty to comply,
facilitating the use of those services, and
16 A body producing an annual report regarding operational standards
Standard 167:
(1) You must produce a report (an “annual report”), in Welsh, in relation to each financial year, which deals with the way in which you have complied with the operational standards with which you were under a duty to comply during that year.
(a)the number of employees who have Welsh language skills at the end of the year in question (on the basis of the records you kept in accordance with standard 147);
(b)the number of members of staff who attended training courses you offered in Welsh during the year (on the basis of the records you kept in accordance with standard 148);
(c)if a Welsh version of a course was offered by you during that year, the percentage of the total number of staff attending the course who attended the Welsh version (on the basis of the records you kept in accordance with standard 148);
(ch)the number of members of staff who wear a badge at the end of the financial year (on the basis of records you kept in accordance with standard 149);
(d)the number of new and vacant posts that you advertised during the year which were categorised as posts where—
(i)Welsh language skills were essential,
(ii)Welsh language skills needed to be learnt when appointed to the post,
(iii)Welsh language skills were desirable, or
(iv)Welsh language skills were not necessary,
(on the basis of the records you kept in accordance with standard 151);
(dd)the number of complaints that you received during that year which related to your compliance with the operational standards with which you were under a duty to comply.
17 A body publicising the way it intends to comply with operational standards
Standard 168: You must publish a document on your website which explains how you intend to comply with the operational standards with which you are under a duty to comply.
18 A body providing information to the Welsh Language Commissioner
Standard 169: You must provide any information requested by the Welsh Language Commissioner which relates to compliance with the operational standards with which you are under a duty to comply.
Standard 170:
Standard 171: You must provide any records you have kept in accordance with the record keeping standards with which you are under a duty to comply to the Welsh Language Commissioner, if the Commissioner asks for those records.
22 For the purposes of standards 155, 161 and 167 “financial year” means the body’s own financial year.
23 For the purpose of the standards a requirement to produce or publish any written material in Welsh does not mean that material should be produced or published in Welsh only, nor does it mean that the material should be produced in Welsh first (unless that is specifically stated in the standard).
24 Complaints procedures
(1) When a body is under a duty to comply with one or more of the following standards, it may—
(a)comply with them in one complaints procedure;
(b)revise an existing complaints procedure.
(2) The standards are—
(a)standard 153;
(b)standard 159;
(c)standard 165.
25 Supervisory arrangements
(1) When a body is under a duty to comply with one or more of the following standards, it may comply with them in one set of supervisory arrangements.
(a)standard 154;
(b)standard 160;
(c)standard 166.
(1) When a body is under a duty to comply with one or more of the following standards, it may comply with them by including the necessary information in one annual report, to be called “Welsh Language Standards Annual Report”.
(a)standard 155;
(b)standard 161;
(c)standard 167.
27 Publicising the way in which a body intends to comply with standards
(1) When a body is under a duty to comply with one or more of the following standards, it may comply with them in one document.
(a)standard 156;
(b)standard 162;
(c)standard 168.
The British Transport Police Authority (“Awdurdod Heddlu Trafnidiaeth Prydain”)
The Chief Constable of the British Transport Police (“Prif Gwnstabl yr Heddlu Trafnidiaeth Prydeinig”)
The Chief Constable of the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (“Prif Gwnstabl y Gwnstabliaeth Niwclear Sifil”)
The Chief Constable of Dyfed-Powys Police (“Prif Gwnstabl Heddlu Dyfed-Powys”)
The Chief Constable of Gwent Police (“Prif Gwnstabl Heddlu Gwent”)
The Chief Constable of North Wales Police (“Prif Gwnstabl Heddlu Gogledd Cymru”)
The Chief Constable of South Wales Police (“Prif Gwnstabl Heddlu De Cymru”)
The Civil Nuclear Police Authority (“Yr Awdurdod Heddlu Niwclear Sifil”)
Independent Police Complaints Commission (“Comisiwn Cwynion Annibynnol yr Heddlu”)
The Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Authority (“Awdurdod Tân ac Achub Canolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru”)
The North Wales Fire and Rescue Authority (“Awdurdod Tân ac Achub Gogledd Cymru”)
The Police and Crime Commissioner for Dyfed-Powys (“Comisiynydd Heddlu a Throseddu Dyfed-Powys”)
The Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent (“Comisiynydd Heddlu a Throseddu Gwent”)
The Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales (“Comisiynydd Heddlu a Throseddu Gogledd Cymru”)
The Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales (“Comisiynydd Heddlu a Throseddu De Cymru”)
The South Wales Fire and Rescue Authority (“Awdurdod Tân ac Achub De Cymru”)
These Regulations specify standards in relation to the conduct of the bodies listed in Schedule 6 to the Regulations (which are referred to in the Regulations as “bodies”). The bodies are:
(i)the chief constables of the police forces that operate in Wales (the British Transport Police, the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, Dyfed-Powys Police, Gwent Police, North Wales Police and South Wales Police;
(ii)the British Transport Police Authority;
(iii)the Civil Nuclear Police Authority;
(iv)the Police and Crime Commissioners for Dyfed-Powys, Gwent, North Wales and South Wales;
(v)the Independent Police Complaints Commission;
(vi)the Fire and Rescue Authorities (“FRA”) that operate in Wales (Mid and West Wales FRA, North Wales FRA and South Wales FRA).
The Regulations also authorise (subject to certain exceptions set out in regulation 3(2)) the Commissioner to give a compliance notice to those bodies, in relation to standards specified by the Regulations.
Using the flexibility provided by section 44 of the 2011 Measure the Commissioner may (if it is reasonable and proportionate, and the Commissioner wishes to do so) require a body to comply with one standard in some circumstances and another standard in other circumstances. For example, if a standard is specifically applicable to a body the Commissioner may require the body to comply with the standard in some circumstances but not others, or require it to comply with the standard only in some areas. Similarly if two or more standards relate to a specific conduct (for example, standards 8 to 11 in relation to answering telephone calls), the Commissioner may (by way of a compliance notice) require a body to comply with one of those standards only, or with different standards at different times, in different circumstances, or in different areas; as is appropriate for the body. The Commissioner is not, therefore, obliged to require every body to comply with every standard.
(a)what effects, if any, (whether positive or adverse) the policy decision would have on opportunities for people to use the Welsh language, or on treating the Welsh language no less favourably than the English language;
(b)how the decision could be made so that the decision has positive effects, or increased positive effects, on opportunities for people to use the Welsh language, or on treating the Welsh language no less favourably than the English language;
Schedule 5 to the Regulations specifies standards that deal with supplementary matters. These are specific forms of service delivery standards, policy making standards, operational standards and record keeping standards that deal with the matters referred to in section 27(4) of the 2011 Measure (which are supplementary to the matters dealt with in Schedules 1 to 4).
Regulation 4 of these Regulations makes an amendment to the Welsh Language Standards (No. 1) Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/996 (W. 68)) in order to make it clear that certain services and activities that are provided or carried out on behalf of the Welsh Ministers by certain bodies are not subject to the Welsh Ministers’ standards. Instead the standards made specifically applicable to the body that provides those services or carries out those activities will apply.
S.I. 2015/996 (W. 68).