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Britain's parliament to allow debates in Welsh language for first time

Xinhua, February 22, 2017 Adjust font size:

Britain's Palace of Westminster is to become bilingual for the first time in history when debates are allowed to take place in Welsh, it was announced Wednesday.

It will enable members of the Parliament (MPs) to be given the chance to speak Welsh in parliamentary debates in the Palace of Westminster for the first time ever this year.

The British government, responding to a House of Commons committee report on the matter, confirmed it will bring forward measures enabling MPs to speak in Welsh when the Welsh Grand Committee meets in Westminster.

MPs are currently only permitted to speak Welsh in Westminster's parliamentary proceedings when the Welsh Affairs select committee is taking evidence.

"Making proceedings of the Welsh Grand Committee bilingual means that the Welsh language will be used for short debates, legislative scrutiny and the questioning of ministers in Westminster for the first time ever," said a spokesman for the Houses of Parliament.

Alun Cairns, Secretary of State for Wales, said: "It is vitally important that the people of Wales are able to hear debates in both languages. I hope that MPs who can speak Welsh will choose to use this service in order to help promote the Welsh language across parliament."

It will mean using translation services, both interpreters and headsets, but the cost will be met through existing parliament budgets. Endit