Welsh Speakers and Welsh Language Provision in the Public Sector: A Report from the Stakeholder Interview Series

This report presents findings from Stakeholder Interview data relating to the position of Welsh speakers and Welsh Language provision within the public sector. The main aim of the report is to inform further investigations planned by WISERD researchers on Welsh speakers and the labour market in Wales1. There has been little previous research in this area. A handful of quantitative studies have pointed to differences between Welsh and non-Welsh speakers in their labour market outcomes (Blackaby et al 2005, Blackaby and Drinkwater 1997, Drinkwater and O’Leary 1997, Henley and Jones 2003, Jones-Evans et al 2011). But little is known about the dynamics underlying these differences. Does being Welsh-English bilingual, all things considered, provide labour market advantages? How has this varied over time? And what factors have driven these differences. The stakeholder interviews can contribute to this area of research by providing qualitative data on the perspectives of senior figures within public sector organisations.

In addition to this aim, the thematic focus of the report informs some of the activities of WISERD Language, Citizenship and Identity thematic group. Thus the report provides a way of linking the stakeholder data, and the localities research programme, to the interests of thematic group members.