Written evidence submitted by the Welsh
Language Board
1. The advice that is offered below is based
on the Welsh Language Board's remint under Section 3 of the Welsh
Language Act 1993.
WELSH LANGUAGE
ACT 1993
Part 1
Section 3. - (2)...the Welsh Language Board
will
- (a) advise the Secretary of State on matters
concerning the Welsh language;
- (b) advise persons exercising functions of
a public nature on the ways in which effect may be given to the
principle that, in the conduct of public business and the administration
of justice in Wales, the English and Welsh languages should be
treated on a basis of equality;
- (c) advise those and other persons providing
services to the public on the use of the Welsh language in their
dealings with the public in Wales.
2. The Identity and Passport Service's Welsh
Language Scheme clearly states its commitment to providing services
through the medium of Welsh to the public in Wales:
- 2.3 UKPS starting point, in recognising
the equality of the Welsh and English languages, is that customers
in Wales who prefer to transact their business in Welsh, whether
in correspondence, by telephone or in person, are welcome to do
so. The measures in this scheme have the aim of ensuring that
any customer who wishes to do so can obtain convenient and prompt
access in Welsh to the passport service which they require. We
are committed to providing an equally high standard of service
in Welsh and English.
- 3.2 The UKPS planning of services for
the public will take account of the need in Wales for equality
between the Welsh and English languages and the commitments given
in this scheme.
- 3.8 In processing applications for addresses
in Wales, the UKPS will provide correspondence, information, etc,
either bilingually (or in both languages) or in the individual's
preferred language (as indicated by the language of the application
form).
- 3.14 Welsh language applications will
be processed within the same timescale as applications made in
English.
- 4.1 The UKPS welcomes and will reply in
Welsh to all correspondence received in Welsh.
- 4.2 The UKPS will use Welsh in any communications
that arise from the public counter or a telephone conversation
with a customer using Welsh.
- 4.3 The UKPS will use Welsh in personal
correspondence we initiate with any customer in Wales who we are
aware has previously indicated a preference for corresponding
in Welsh.
- 4.4 The UKPS have published standards
for acknowledging and replying to all correspondence within a
stated time. The same standards set for responding to letters
in English will apply to letters in Welsh.
- 4.7 Since January 2000 the UKPS has outsourced
its telephone service to a national call centre. Callers from
Wales receive a bilingual greeting and are given the option to
have their call dealt with in either the English or Welsh language.
3. From our experience of working with the Identity
and Passport Service over a period of time, the Board is aware
that it is from the IPS's office in Newport that almost all of
the agency's Welsh language services are provided. Many of the
statements within the agency's Welsh language scheme support the
Board's observation:
- 2.4 All applications made from addresses
in Wales are dealt with by the Newport Passport office.
- 3.7 The UKPS main elements of contact
with the public are on the telephone and via the application form.
In both cases an effective language choice will be offered and
the UKPS will ensure that customers who live in Wales will be
able to receive a service through the medium of Welsh from the
Newport Office. Measures outlined in this Scheme indicate how
this will be achieved.
- 4.8 Those callers who contact the Newport
Office directly will also have the option of an English or a Welsh
service.
- 4.9 The UKPS will aim to increase in its
Newport Office the number of staff competent to transact business
in Welsh by offering Welsh language training courses and recruiting
Welsh speaking staff where appropriate.
- 4.10 The UKPS will offer a Welsh speaking
service at our public counter in Newport and ensure that any members
of the public who wish to have face-to-face contact are able and
welcome to do so in Welsh. A poster will be displayed advertising
the fact that this service is available.
- 4.12 The UKPS will provide training to
staff in Newport who have contact with the public in procedures
for dealing correctly with enquiries from customers who prefer
to transact their business in Welsh.
- 5.14 To ensure that customers in Wales
have no difficulty in obtaining bilingual/dual version forms and
leaflets, the UKPS will maintain procedures to ensure that the
Newport Passport Office and our outlets in Wales have them displayed
and that they remain adequately stocked.
4. Presently, the IPS cannot provide some online
services through the medium of Welsh (passport renewals for example).
Welsh speakers must therefore continue to access these services
through paper procedures if they are to receive a Welsh language
service. The Newport Passport Office is currently responsible
for administering these procedures.
5. The IPS has a regional office in Liverpool
which is accessible to some members of the public Wales, but it
is unable to provide services in Welsh. Closing or seriously reducing
the Newport office's capacity, would therefore inevitably cause
a very significant reduction to the services provided in Welsh
by the IPS.
6. The IPS provides services that members of
the public must use. Failing to deliver these services through
the medium of Welsh will cause
obvious problems to Welsh speakers.
7. CONCLUSION
The Conservative Government gave an undertaking during
the passing of the Welsh Language Act 1993 that Crown bodies,
such as the IPS, would provide services in Welsh in accordance
with Welsh language schemes in the same way as other public bodies.
I trust therefore that the IPS's capacity to deliver services
in Welsh will be protectred when deciding upon changes to the
organisation's structure.
8 November 2010
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