The latest figures from Census 2021 show an estimated 538,300 Welsh residents aged three years or older reporting being able to speak Welsh, equating to 17.8% of the population. This is a drop of 1.2% since the 2011 Census.
In Powys, the number has fallen by 2.1%. A Welsh Government document from 2017 projected there would be 580,000 Welsh speakers by 2021, or 19% of the population.
James said:
“I support the aims of the Cymraeg 2050 strategy, but it’s clear there are big issues in the policy direction coming from Welsh Government.
“There’s been a devolved administration for nearly a quarter of a century, but the last decade has seen the number of Welsh language speakers declining – it’s unacceptable.
“There is a political consensus on promoting the Welsh language, but we need Labour Ministers to get a grip on this and take action so Cymraeg can grow and prosper once again.”
