The National Assembly for Wales (Official Languages) Act 2012 (anaw 1) ( cy, Deddf Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru (Ieithoedd Swyddogol) 2012) was an Act of the

National Assembly for Wales The Senedd (; ), officially known as the Welsh Parliament in English language, English and () in Welsh language, Welsh, is the Devolution in the United Kingdom, devolved, unicameral legislature of Wales. A democratically elected body, it makes ...

that was given

royal assent Royal assent is the method by which a monarch formally approves an act of the legislature, either directly or through an official acting on the monarch's behalf. In some jurisdictions, royal assent is equivalent to promulgation, while in other ...

on 12 November 2012. It is significant in that it is the first Act passed in Wales to become law in over 600 years. The Act consists principally of amendments to the

Government of Wales Act 2006 The Government of Wales Act 2006 (c 32) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed the then-National Assembly for Wales (now the Senedd) and allows further powers to be granted to it more easily. The Act creates a system o ...

, and provides that the National Assembly for Wales shall have two official languages, English and Welsh; and that they shall be treated equally. It was not the first bill passed by the National Assembly for Wales, which was the bill for the

Local Government Byelaws (Wales) Act 2012 Local may refer to: Geography and transportation * Local (train), a train serving local traffic demand * Local, Missouri, a community in the United States * Local government, a form of public administration, usually the lowest tier of administrat ...

, but was the first to receive royal assent and so become law. The bill was passed by the National Assembly for Wales on 3 October 2012, but then underwent a statutory period of intimation, so that lawyers could verify that it fell within the remit of the National Assembly for Wales. Royal assent was given when the

Welsh Seal The Welsh Seal () is a seal used for Wales. Independent Wales Seals were used by the native Princes of Wales during Welsh independence. Llywelyn the Great On Llywelyn the Great' (Llywelyn ap Iorwerth) seal is dated to 1240. Llywelyn is pi ...

was affixed to the Letters Patent by First Minister

Carwyn Jones Carwyn Howell Jones (born 21 March 1967) is a Welsh politician who served as First Minister of Wales and Leader of Welsh Labour from 2009 to 2018. He served as Counsel General for Wales from 2007 to 2009. Jones served as the Member of the S ...

on 12 November 2012; it was

gazetted A gazette is an official journal, a newspaper of record, or simply a newspaper. In English and French speaking countries, newspaper publishers have applied the name ''Gazette'' since the 17th century; today, numerous weekly and daily newspapers ...

on 16 November. Items of

primary legislation Primary legislation and secondary legislation (the latter also called delegated legislation or subordinate legislation) are two forms of law, created respectively by the legislature, legislative and executive (government), executive branches of ...

passed by the National Assembly for Wales between 2008 and 2011 are known as Assembly Measures. The original system of

Welsh law Welsh law ( cy, Cyfraith Cymru) is an autonomous part of the English law system composed of legislation made by the Senedd.Law Society of England and Wales (2019)England and Wales: A World Jurisdiction of Choice eport(Link accessed: 16 March 2022 ...

was abolished under Henry VIII.

References

{{UK legislation Acts of the National Assembly for Wales 2012 in British law 2012 in Wales 2012 in British politics English language Welsh language

2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...

Language legislation Language policy in the United Kingdom

See also

References