Jane Davidson normally had it easy
Pierhead - Welsh Politics
Jane Davidson normally had it easy when she was Education Minister. A former teacher, the Pontypridd AM knew the territory well, was a radical in belief, and was intensely involved. The education world loved her.
Now Minister for Sustainability and Housing - which includes planning - she has for years been intensely involved with parts of her new brief. For which she is more likely to receive brickbats than the praise she has been used to.
She is former vice-president of Ramblers Association Wales, which has coastal footpath demands which extend tar beyond past practice or farmers' wishes. And as planning minister, Plaid's Arfon member Alun Ffred Jones has handed her a challenge which Labour has successfully dodged for nine years.
Mr Jones asked her, "Technical Advice Note 20, on the Welsh language, has been under review for years - it feels more like decades. As far as I know, it has been used only once or twice. When will its review be completed?"
Ms Davidson gave a half-answer. Next year, she will commission a "research project". As this is an issue which is seriously undermining Welsh in its few remaining heartlands, will the Minister subsequently manage to discover the courage -which Labour has never previously possessed - to write tfie "guidance", whose lack leaves the TAN as a dead letter ?
The Minister has learnt Welsh to a very high standard. Let us hope that she realises that, without a heartland, that language has no future.
Jane Davidson normally had it easy when she was Education Minister. A former teacher, the Pontypridd AM knew the territory well, was a radical in belief, and was intensely involved. The education world loved her.
Now Minister for Sustainability and Housing - which includes planning - she has for years been intensely involved with parts of her new brief. For which she is more likely to receive brickbats than the praise she has been used to.
She is former vice-president of Ramblers Association Wales, which has coastal footpath demands which extend tar beyond past practice or farmers' wishes. And as planning minister, Plaid's Arfon member Alun Ffred Jones has handed her a challenge which Labour has successfully dodged for nine years.
Mr Jones asked her, "Technical Advice Note 20, on the Welsh language, has been under review for years - it feels more like decades. As far as I know, it has been used only once or twice. When will its review be completed?"
Ms Davidson gave a half-answer. Next year, she will commission a "research project". As this is an issue which is seriously undermining Welsh in its few remaining heartlands, will the Minister subsequently manage to discover the courage -which Labour has never previously possessed - to write tfie "guidance", whose lack leaves the TAN as a dead letter ?
The Minister has learnt Welsh to a very high standard. Let us hope that she realises that, without a heartland, that language has no future.
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