Plaid Cymru’s Elin Jones AM has welcomed the One Wales Government’s bid for responsibility to legislate to promote use of the Welsh language as a ‘common sense’ development.

The Ceredigion AM’s comments came as the Assembly Government’s Minister for Heritage, Alun Ffred Jones AM, published details of the necessary legislative competence order (LCO) outlining what responsibilities were being requested.

While the Welsh government would not be able to legislate to impose language schemes on small companies, large-scale service providers such as energy and telecommunication companies could be asked to do provide Welsh services.

Commenting on the Welsh-language LCO, Ceredigion’s Elin Jones AM said: “I’m glad that the Heritage Minister is finally in a position to announce the details of his request for the transfer of responsibility over the promotion and use of the Welsh language from London to Cardiff.

“This is certainly a very common sense development. Everyone agrees that the Assembly Government is best placed to make laws on the Welsh language – it makes no sense for Westminster to retain any powers to legislate on the Welsh language.

“It’s important that both Welsh and English are recognised as our official languages in Wales, and as a result this bid for responsibility to legislate in relation to Welsh-language provision will help increase the language’s status, particularly in relation to the services offered by large-scale service providers and public organisations”.