Welsh Language Act 1967
Encyclopedia
The Welsh Language Act 1967 , is an Act
of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
which gave some rights to use the Welsh language
in legal proceedings in Wales
(including Monmouthshire
) and gave the relevant Minister the right to authorise the production of a Welsh version of any documents required or allowed by the Act. The Act was based on the Hughes Parry report into the status of Welsh, published in 1965, which advocated equal validity for Welsh in speech and in written documents, both in the courts and in public administration in Wales. However the Act did not include all the Hughes Parry report's recommendations.
The Welsh Language Act 1967 is a short Act, consisting of a Preamble and five sections. The Preamble states that "it is proper that the Welsh language should be freely used by those who so desire in the hearing of legal proceedings in Wales". The first section gives the right to use Welsh orally in court proceedings in Wales provided that the person who wishes to do so has notified the court in advance. The second and third sections give Ministers the right to provide Welsh versions of forms or wordings, but did not impose any obligation on them to do so. The fourth section of the Act repealed the provision in Part 3 of the Wales and Berwick Act 1746
that the term "England" should include Wales.
The Laws in Wales Acts 1535–1542
had made English the only language of the law courts and other aspects of public administration in Wales, even though most of the population spoke Welsh and little or no English. The 1967 Act was the first alteration to this situation, however the Welsh Language Act 1993
, was the first to put Welsh on an equal basis with English in public life.
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
which gave some rights to use the Welsh language
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
in legal proceedings in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
(including Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire (historic)
Monmouthshire , also known as the County of Monmouth , is one of thirteen ancient counties of Wales and a former administrative county....
) and gave the relevant Minister the right to authorise the production of a Welsh version of any documents required or allowed by the Act. The Act was based on the Hughes Parry report into the status of Welsh, published in 1965, which advocated equal validity for Welsh in speech and in written documents, both in the courts and in public administration in Wales. However the Act did not include all the Hughes Parry report's recommendations.
The Welsh Language Act 1967 is a short Act, consisting of a Preamble and five sections. The Preamble states that "it is proper that the Welsh language should be freely used by those who so desire in the hearing of legal proceedings in Wales". The first section gives the right to use Welsh orally in court proceedings in Wales provided that the person who wishes to do so has notified the court in advance. The second and third sections give Ministers the right to provide Welsh versions of forms or wordings, but did not impose any obligation on them to do so. The fourth section of the Act repealed the provision in Part 3 of the Wales and Berwick Act 1746
Wales and Berwick Act 1746
The Wales and Berwick Act 1746 was an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain which created a statutory definition of "England" as including England, Wales and Berwick-upon-Tweed. This definition applied to all acts passed before and after the Act's coming into force, unless a given Act provided an...
that the term "England" should include Wales.
The Laws in Wales Acts 1535–1542
Laws in Wales Acts 1535-1542
The Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 were parliamentary measures by which the legal system of Wales was annexed to England and the norms of English administration introduced. The intention was to create a single state and a single legal jurisdiction; frequently referred to as England and Wales...
had made English the only language of the law courts and other aspects of public administration in Wales, even though most of the population spoke Welsh and little or no English. The 1967 Act was the first alteration to this situation, however the Welsh Language Act 1993
Welsh Language Act 1993
The Welsh Language Act 1993 , is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which put the Welsh language on an equal footing with the English language in Wales with regard to the public sector....
, was the first to put Welsh on an equal basis with English in public life.