The proportion of Welsh speakers in Wales has fallen to a record low, new figures show.
In 2021, an estimated 538,000 people in Wales aged three and over (17.8 per cent) reported being able to speak Welsh.
That’s down since 2011, when 562,000 — or 19 percent — spoke the language, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The ONS said one of the main factors contributing to the overall decline is fewer Welsh speakers between the ages of three and 15.
The data was collected by asking people to rate their own ability to understand spoken Welsh and to speak, read and write Welsh.
In 2016, the Welsh Government set a target of having one million speakers in Wales by 2050.
Opposition politicians described the new data as “deeply disappointing” and said the Welsh government had fallen further behind in meeting the language target.
Samuel Kurtz, the Welsh Conservative shadow minister for the Welsh language, said: “This is a deeply disappointing statistic that shows the Labor government is further from achieving its Cymraeg 2050 ambition than when it set a target of 30 year to reach one million speakers.’ time.
“What’s behind this? Self-reporting is a flawed measurement model, and with such a long-term strategy, where responsibility is transferred from minister to minister as we approach 2050, there is little accountability for decisions that affect language.
“While we fully support the ambitions of the Cymraeg 2050 target, the Census data shows the grim reality of a government weary, too long in power and out of ideas.
“Positiveness around the language, showing it is cool, modern and usable in everyday life is the way we can ensure that the most beautiful language on earth can flourish in its homeland.”
Delyth Jewell, Chair of the Senedd Committee on Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport and International Relations, said: “Today’s announcement is undoubtedly disappointing.
“The data confirms that it will take a long time and sustained support to reverse the decades-long decline in the number of Welsh speakers. It shows the urgency of halting this decline.
“The great Welsh historian Raymond Williams once said, ‘To be truly radical is to enable hope rather than persuasive despair.’
“The Welsh Government must now be truly radical in its goal of reaching one million Welsh speakers. A goal shared by all parties.
“This means we need to be clear and robust about what is expected of all of us in Wales and more money and resources need to be allocated to meet the challenge.
“Without that, it’s hard to see how we’ll reach the shared goal in 2050.”