Welsh survey questions

You asked

1. Following on the 2017/18 Welsh language specific question in the annual survey,​ please disclose the Welsh language questions, you formulated and passed on and got approved by your committee for the last 10 years.

2. Please disclose whether any questions were formulated/asked if the Welsh language is relevant in XXI c Wales and if it acceptable to insist on Welsh speakers getting most of the public jobs in Wales?

3. Re. the team whose responsibility it is to formulate the annual survey Welsh language questions: please disclose how many ONS staff are involved, their operational remit (standing orders, etc.) on how to structure the Welsh language questions and how many Welsh speakers in the team?

We said

Thank you for your request.

We are responsible for the Labour Force/Annual Population Surveys and can only answer questions that specifically refer to these surveys. We are not responsible for Welsh language questions where they are part of surveys that are run by the Welsh Government. We are not responsible for policy decisions that relate to the Welsh language and questions of this nature can be referred to the Welsh Government.

In answer to your questions that relate to the Labour Force/Annual Population Surveys:

1) The Labour Force/Annual Population Surveys asks the following questions:

Can you understand spoken Welsh?

Can you speak Welsh?

How frequently do you speak Welsh?

Can you read Welsh?

Can you write Welsh?

What is your first language at home?

These questions have not changed in the past 10 years. The questions asked on the Labour Force/Annual Population Surveys and changes made going back to 2007 can be found here:

https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/methodologies/labourforcesurveyuserguidance

2) No questions have been asked about the relevance of the Welsh language for the Labour Force/Annual Population Surveys. In answer to the second part of your question, requests under the Freedom of Information Act are for information that we hold and not opinions or judgements, unless they have already been recorded.

3) No new questions or changes to questions on the Welsh language have been made to the Labour Force/Annual Population Surveys in the past 10 years. The number of ONS people on the steering group varies depending on the topics and issues being discussed. The meetings are always chaired by a senior member of staff. Speaking Welsh is not a requirement to be a member of the group, so we do not have information as to how many people speak Welsh.