Service Delivery

We will ensure that our services are normally available to the public in Wales in both Welsh and English.

We will let the public know when services are available in Welsh.

Public sector bodies in Wales have responsibility for the practical aspects of, and ensuring conformity with, local standards of public service delivery, including any set out in their respective Welsh Language Schemes or Welsh Language Standards. By following the provisions set out in this Welsh language Scheme, we will support the relevant Welsh language provision of other public sector bodies and not undermine their Welsh language schemes.

Our regulatory functions and services undertaken on our behalf by third parties

Any agreements or arrangements which we make with third parties will be consistent with the relevant parts of this scheme, when those agreements or arrangements relate to the provision of services to the public in Wales.

This will include services which are contracted out, granting licences and granting other permissions.

Standards of quality

Services provided in Welsh and English will be of equal quality and will be provided within the same timescale.

Correspondence

This applies to email and written correspondence.

When someone writes to us in Welsh, we will issue a reply in Welsh (if a reply is required). The time taken to reply will be the same as for replying to correspondence written in English.

When we initiate correspondence with an individual, group or organisation, we will do so in Welsh when we know that they would prefer to correspond in Welsh.

When we send standard or circular letters to several recipients in Wales, they will be bilingual unless we know that all recipients would prefer to receive it in Welsh or English only.

If the Welsh and English versions of any correspondence need to be produced separately, we will ensure that both versions are available at the same time.

Enclosures sent with bilingual letters will also be bilingual.

Enclosures sent with Welsh letters will be in Welsh.

All hard-copy Welsh correspondence we issue will be signed in the same way as the English version.

All Welsh email correspondence we issue will bear a Welsh (or bilingual) electronic signature in the same way as an English version.

Each business area will need to develop a system to record the language preference of those who wish to correspond with us in Welsh.

Telephone calls

We will ensure that the public can speak in Welsh or English when dealing with us by telephone. The below number allows users to speak in Welsh or English when contacting the organisation:

General and Statistical enquiries (Newport): 0345 601 3034

We will encourage our staff in Wales to answer the telephone with a bilingual greeting and use bilingual messages on their personal answerphones (if they have them).

Callers contacting the main enquiry number for the Newport office will receive a bilingual greeting.

Our main switchboard in Wales will use a bilingual message on its answerphone.

If the caller wishes to speak Welsh, our switchboard will try to connect the call to a Welsh speaker qualified to deal with the enquiry.

If a caller telephones a member of staff directly and wishes to speak Welsh, but the person taking the call cannot do so, they will try to transfer the call to a Welsh speaking colleague qualified to deal with the enquiry. If there is no Welsh speaker qualified to deal with the enquiry is available, the caller will be given the choice, as appropriate, of having a Welsh speaker telephone back as soon as possible, continuing the call in English or submitting their query in Welsh, by letter or email.

When we set up telephone helplines or similar facilities, to give information, services, or support to the public in Wales, we will provide a Welsh language service.

Meetings not open to the public

If we invite an external stakeholder to a meeting and they state beforehand that they would like to use the Welsh language at the meeting, then we will provide a simultaneous translation service from Welsh to English.

If we invite more than one external stakeholder to a meeting and at least 10% of them have stated that they would like to use the Welsh language at the meeting, then we will provide a simultaneous translation service from Welsh to English.

Meetings open to the public

When we arrange a meeting that is open to the public in Wales, we will state on all advertising materials and invitations that anyone attending is welcome to use the Welsh language.

All materials advertising a meeting that is open to the public in Wales will be produced in Welsh and English.

We should invite the public to let us know in advance which language they wish to use at the meeting, and if anyone would like to use Welsh then a simultaneous translation service from Welsh to English will be provided. If we have been told that any attendees wish to use Welsh at the meeting, those attending the meeting will be made aware that simultaneous translation from Welsh to English is available and that we welcome contributions in Welsh.

If we do not invite the public to let us know in advance of their language preference, then we will provide a simultaneous translation service from Welsh to English as a matter of course.

If we invite speakers to a meeting that is open to the public, we will ask each person invited to speak whether they wish to use the Welsh language. If at least one of those persons has informed us that they wish to use the Welsh language at the meeting, we will provide a simultaneous translation service from Welsh to English for that purpose.

We will provide papers and other information for meetings open to the public in Wales in Welsh and English unless we have established that all participants will be using the same language.

Reports or papers produced following meetings open to the public in Wales will be published in Welsh and English (unless all participants used the same language).

Public consultations

When we arrange a public consultation in Wales, or which is relevant to the public in Wales, we will state on all advertising material and invitations that anyone attending is welcome to contribute through the medium of Welsh. All material advertising a public consultation in Wales or intended for the public in Wales will be produced in Welsh and English.

We should invite the public to let us know in advance which language they wish to use during the consultation, and if anyone would like to use Welsh then a simultaneous translation service from Welsh to English will be provided. If we have been told that any attendees wish to use Welsh at the meeting, those attending the meeting will be made aware that simultaneous translation from Welsh to English is available and that we welcome contributions in Welsh.

If we do not invite the public to let us know in advance of their language preference, then we will provide a simultaneous translation service from Welsh to English as a matter of course.

We will provide papers and other information supporting a public consultation in Wales or intended for the public in Wales in both Welsh and English, and both versions will be provided at the same time.

Any digital resources that are provided as part of a public consultation in Wales or intended for the public in Wales will be made available in Welsh and English.

Reports or papers produced following a public consultation in Wales or intended for the public in Wales will be published in Welsh and English (unless all participants used the same language).

Public events

If we organise a public event in Wales, we will ensure that when 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).

In any public event in Wales that we have organised, we will ensure that services offered to persons attending the event, as well as the signs displayed at the event and announcements made over public address systems, will also be available in Welsh and English.

When staffing public exhibition stands and displays in Wales, we will ensure that suitably qualified Welsh speakers attend as necessary. Any audio-visual displays, audio tours or interactive media that we prepare for public use in Wales will be bilingual.

Publicity and advertising

This applies to undertaking any publicity or advertising campaign targeted at the public in Wales.

Any publicity or advertising material that we produce and use in Wales will be in Welsh and English, and may be produced bilingually, or as separate Welsh and English versions.

If the Welsh and English versions need to be published separately, both versions will be equal in format, prominence, and quality, and both versions will be available simultaneously and equally accessible.

Any advertisements placed in English language newspapers (or similar material) distributed mainly or wholly in Wales, will be bilingual, or will appear as separate Welsh and English versions (with both versions appearing simultaneously, and being equal regarding format, prominence, and quality).

In Welsh language publications, advertisements will be in Welsh only.

Television, cinema and radio advertising in Wales will be conducted in Welsh and English. Television campaigns which appear on S4C during Welsh programming hours will be in Welsh. Radio campaigns broadcast on BBC Radio Cymru or during Welsh language programmes on commercial radio stations will be in Welsh.

When producing video content as part of a public facing publicity campaign, if the subject is of relevance and interest to Wales or the public in Wales, a Welsh and English version will be produced. We will avoid using Welsh language subtitles on videos which are in English or dubbing adverts into Welsh (except voice-overs).

Telephone response lines and other ways of responding to campaigns in Wales will be bilingual or will include a separate Welsh response service.

Media

Press releases should be produced and disseminated in both Welsh and English if the subject is of relevance and interest to Wales or the public in Wales.

News releases specific to the press and broadcasting media in Wales will be issued in Welsh and English, or according to the language preference of the recipient media organisation or publication.

When we post press or news releases on our website, we will post them in Welsh and English when they are of relevance and interest to Wales or the public in Wales.

All press notices issued to solely Welsh language media will be issued in Welsh. Where possible, we will ensure that Welsh speakers are available to undertake interviews with the Welsh language press and broadcasting media.

Websites and digital services

Our websites will include pages in both Welsh and English.

Where we have Welsh language web pages that correspond to an English language web page, we will ensure that it is made clear on the English language web page that the page is also available in Welsh, along with a direct link to the Welsh page.

We will provide the user interface and menus on every page of our website in both Welsh and English.

All static content in support of our operations that are of relevance and interest to the public in Wales should be available bilingually. We will provide Welsh versions of the interactive pages on our websites.

Whenever we post publications on our websites, Welsh and English versions will be posted at the same time, where relevant.

When designing new websites, or redeveloping our existing websites, we will ensure that the Welsh language is considered in the planning process to ensure bilingual provision.

Social media

Our social media activity regarding Wales-specific topics or considered of relevance and interest to Wales or the public in Wales, will be produced in Welsh and English.

When we use social media, we will ensure that the Welsh language is not treated less favourably than the English language.

Digital content that is produced for social media will be made available in Welsh and English if it is regarding Wales-specific topics or considered relevant to an audience located in Wales.

Publications

This applies to physical documents as well as electronically published documents.

We will produce bilingual publications in Welsh and English on topics that are relevant and of interest to the public in Wales. This includes UK-wide topics which include breakdowns of relevance and interest to Wales or the public in Wales, as well as Wales-only topics (e.g., the Welsh language). Topics that are relevant to England only will not need to be translated.

The UK Statistics Authority’s Welsh Language Team has produced a flowchart, which has been agreed with the Welsh Language Commissioner’s Office, to identify clearly and objectively which materials should be published in Welsh and English for an audience in Wales. The UK Statistics Authority’s Welsh Language Team will provide business areas with guidance and support on matters relating to translation.

If the Welsh and English version needs to be published separately, both versions will be of equal quality and format, and we will ensure that both versions are available at the same time and are equally accessible. Each version will note clearly that the material is available in the other language.

If a charge is made for a publication, the price of a Welsh version will be no higher than that of an English version, and the price of a bilingual version will be no higher than that of a single-language version.

Technical content

In some cases, content that is deemed statistically technical, or otherwise analytically specialist may not need to be produced in Welsh. This is because these types of documents or data are usually only accessed by a very limited number of technical users and/or expert analysts.

This could include a methodological article or datasets targeted at technical users. It could also refer to content targeted at analytical professionals that would be difficult to understand without special knowledge of a subject, or heavily comprised of terms relating to the knowledge, system, or methods used in specific science and industry.

We will make it clear that members of the public are welcome to request any specific technical documentation or datasets in Welsh, which will be done in a timely manner.

Forms and questionnaires, and associated explanatory material

We will ensure that all forms and questionnaires, and associated explanatory material for use by the public in Wales will be fully bilingual, with the Welsh and English versions together in one document, unless we have established the language preference of individuals beforehand. This will include interactive forms available on our websites.

If the Welsh and English versions of forms or questionnaires need to be published separately, both versions will be of equal quality and format, and we will ensure that both versions are available at the same time and are equally accessible. Each version will note clearly that the material is available in the other language.

When we enter information on bilingual forms and questionnaires that are sent to the public, we will do so bilingually unless we know that the recipients would prefer to receive the information in Welsh or English only. Correspondingly, when we enter information on Welsh versions of forms and questionnaires that are sent to the public, we will do so in Welsh.

When other organisations distribute forms and questionnaires on our behalf, we will ensure that they do so in accordance with the above.

Corporate identity

Our corporate identity in Wales will always be bilingual.

Our name, contact details, logo, slogans, and other standard information will appear in Welsh and English on all material which displays our corporate identity. This includes our stationery and material such as business cards, identity badges for survey staff, passes, tickets, acknowledgement cards, compliment slips and invitations.

We may use Welsh-only branding for some initiatives.

When we form, revise, or present our corporate identity in Wales, we will ensure that the Welsh language is treated no less favourably than the English language.

Signs

When we erect a new sign or renew a sign (including temporary signs) in Wales, they will be in both Welsh and English, with both languages being presented equally. We will ensure that signs treat Welsh and English equally, with both languages being presented in the same format, size, quality, and prominence.

If separate Welsh and English signs are provided, they will be equal in format, size, quality, and prominence.

Our best practice for bilingual signs is to have both texts parallel (side-by-side), if possible, with Welsh on the left and English on the right. If this isn’t possible then the Welsh text should come first, then English.

The above will apply to all types of signs, including electronic signs.

Official notices

Official notices, public notices and staff recruitment notices placed in English language newspapers (or similar media) distributed mainly or wholly in Wales, will be bilingual, or appear as separate Welsh and English versions. Notices will be in Welsh in Welsh language publications.

The Welsh and English versions will be equal in format, size, quality, and prominence whether produced as a single bilingual version, or as separate Welsh and English notices.

In the English language media, posts where the ability to speak Welsh is essential may be advertised in Welsh, with a brief description in English.

Recruitment notices placed in English language journals (and other publications) with a UK-wide distribution may be in English, unless the post is one where the ability to speak Welsh is essential, in which case the notice may be fully bilingual, or in Welsh with a brief explanation in English.

Any official notices, public notices or staff recruitment notices placed elsewhere in Wales will be bilingual.

Online recruitment notices for jobs will be bilingual according to the relevant Welsh language requirements for the job.

Raising awareness about Welsh language services provided

We will ensure that we are proactively advertising the Welsh language services that we provide and will do so in both Welsh and English.

This will include our website, social media, written correspondence, and any advertising or promotional material in Wales.