Part 1 The Standards

When you correspond with an individual (“A”) for the first time, you must ask A whether A wishes to receive correspondence from you in Welsh, and if A responds to say that A wishes to receive correspondence in Welsh you must—

1. (a)

   keep a record of A’s wish, and

2. (b)

   correspond with A in Welsh when corresponding with A from then onwards.

When you send correspondence addressed to two or more individuals who are members of the same household (for example, the parents of a child or joint contract-holders) for the first time, you must ask them whether they wish to receive correspondence from you in Welsh; and if—

1. (a)

   all individuals respond to say that they wish to receive correspondence in Welsh, you must keep a record of that wish and correspond in Welsh from then onwards when sending correspondence addressed to all of those individuals;

2. (b)

   one or more of the individuals responds to say that that individual wishes to receive correspondence in Welsh, you must keep a record of that wish and provide a Welsh language version of correspondence from then onwards when sending correspondence addressed to all of those individuals.

You must state—

1. (a)

   in correspondence to members of the public in Wales, and

2. (b)

   in publications and notices that invite members of the public in Wales to respond to you or to correspond with you,

that you welcome receiving correspondence in Welsh, that you will respond to correspondence in Welsh, and that corresponding in Welsh will not lead to delay.

When a member of the public in Wales (“P”) contacts you on your main telephone number (or numbers), or on any helpline numbers or call centre numbers, you must deal with the call in Welsh if that is the P’s wish until such point as—

1. (a)

   it is necessary to transfer the call to a member of staff who does not speak Welsh who can provide a service on a specific subject matter, and

2. (b)

   no Welsh speaking member of staff is available to provide a service on that specific subject matter.

If a member of the public in Wales (“P”) contacts one of your departments on a direct line telephone number (including on staff members’ direct line numbers), and that P wishes to receive a service in Welsh, you must deal with the call in Welsh until such point as—

1. (a)

   it is necessary to transfer the call to a member of staff who does not speak Welsh who can provide a service on a specific subject matter, and

2. (b)

   no Welsh speaking member of staff is available to provide a service on that specific subject matter.

If you invite one member of the public in Wales (“P”) only to a meeting—

1. (a)

   you must ask P whether P wishes to use the Welsh language at the meeting, and inform P that you will conduct the meeting in Welsh, or, if necessary, provide a translation service from Welsh to English for that purpose, and

2. (b)

   if P has informed you that P wishes to use the Welsh language at the meeting, you must conduct the meeting in Welsh or, if necessary, arrange for a simultaneous or a consecutive translation service from Welsh to English to be available at the meeting.

If you invite persons to speak at a meeting that you arrange which is open to members of the public in Wales and at which public participation by a member of the public in Wales is allowed, you must—

1. (a)

   ask each person invited to speak whether that person wishes to use the Welsh language, and

2. (b)

   if that person (or at least one of those persons) has informed you that that person wishes to use the Welsh language at the meeting, provide a simultaneous translation service from Welsh to English for that purpose (unless you conduct the meeting in Welsh without a translation service).

If you arrange a meeting that is open to members of the public in Wales and at which public participation by a member of the public in Wales is allowed, you must ensure that a simultaneous translation service from Welsh to English is available at the meeting, and you must orally inform those present in Welsh—

1. (a)

   that they are welcome to use the Welsh language, and

2. (b)

   that a simultaneous translation service is available.

When you send a document or form to an individual (“A”) for the first time, you must ask A whether A wishes to receive documents or forms in Welsh, and if A responds to say that A wishes to receive documents or forms in Welsh you must—

1. (a)

   keep a record of A’s wish, and

2. (b)

   send any documents or forms you send to A from then onwards in Welsh.

If you produce a document (but not a form) which is available to members of the public in Wales, and no other standard has required you to produce the document in Welsh, you must produce it in Welsh—

1. (a)

   if the subject matter of the document suggests that it should be produced in Welsh, or

2. (b)

   if the anticipated audience, and their expectations, suggests that the document should be produced in Welsh.

If you produce a document or form in Welsh and in English you must—

1. (a)

   not treat any Welsh language version less favourably than you treat the English language version (whether separate versions or not),

2. (b)

   not differentiate between the Welsh and English version in relation to any requirements relevant to the document or form (for example, in relation to any deadline for submitting the form, or in relation to the time allowed to respond to the content of the document or form), and

3. (c)

   ensure that the English language version clearly states that the document or form is also available in Welsh.

You must ensure that—

1. (a)

   the text of each page of your website is available in Welsh,

2. (b)

   every Welsh language page on your website is fully functional, and

3. (c)

   the Welsh language is not treated less favourably than the English language on your website.

You must ensure that—

1. (a)

   the text of the homepage of your website is available in Welsh,

2. (b)

   any Welsh language text on your homepage (or, where relevant, your Welsh language homepage) is fully functional, and

3. (c)

   the Welsh language is treated no less favourably than the English language in relation to the homepage of your website.

You must ensure that when you publish a new page on your website or amend a page—

1. (a)

   the text of that page is available in Welsh,

2. (b)

   any Welsh language version of that page is fully functional, and

3. (c)

   the Welsh language is treated no less favourably than the English language in relation to that page.

If you have a live chat facility for use by members of the public in Wales—

1. (a)

   you must provide it in Welsh, and

2. (b)

   you must state (in Welsh) on your website that your live chat facility is available in Welsh and how it can be accessed.

If you have a live chat facility for use by members of the public in Wales, you must state (in Welsh) on your website that your live chat facility is available in Welsh and how it can be accessed, and you must provide it in Welsh until such point as—

1. (a)

   it is necessary to transfer the live chat to a member of staff who does not speak Welsh who can provide a service on a specific subject matter, and

2. (b)

   no Welsh speaking member of staff is available to provide a service on that specific subject matter.

When you—

1. (a)

   erect a new sign in Wales or renew a sign erected in Wales (including temporary signs), or

2. (b)

   publish or display a notice in Wales,

any text displayed on the sign or notice must be displayed in Welsh (whether on the same sign or notice as you display corresponding English language text or on a separate sign or notice); and if the same text is displayed in Welsh and in English, you must not treat the Welsh language text less favourably than the English language text.

When you—

1. (a)

   erect a new sign in Wales or renew a sign erected in Wales (including temporary signs), or

2. (b)

   publish or display a notice in Wales,

which conveys the same information in Welsh and in English, the Welsh-language text must be positioned so that it is likely to be read first.

You must provide a face to face Welsh language reception service for a member of the public in Wales (“P”) at your reception if you have arranged a visit or appointment for P in advance and—

1. (a)

   P has informed you in advance that P wishes to receive the service in Welsh, or

2. (b)

   you are already aware that P wishes to receive the service in Welsh.

When you invite applications for a grant from members of the public in Wales, you must—

1. (a)

   state in the invitation that applications may be submitted in Welsh and that any application submitted in Welsh will be treated no less favourably than an application submitted in English, and

2. (b)

   not treat applications for a grant submitted in Welsh less favourably than applications submitted in English (including, amongst other matters, in relation to the closing date for receiving applications and in relation to the time-scale for informing applicants of decisions).

If you offer an education course to members of the public in Wales, you must—

1. (a)

   undertake an assessment of the need for that course to be offered in Welsh;

2. (b)

   offer that course in Welsh if the assessment indicated that the course needs to be offered in Welsh.