SIR,

Welsh is the most heavily subsidised language in the world.

The above statement should give everyone food for thought.

Who is subsidising the Welsh language? You and I, and far, far more importantly so is Wales NHS, to the detriment of the Welsh public.

In Wales, trusts have to pay their own translation costs, thus reducing their budgets and taking money away from patient care.

Don't forget the NHS in England is ring fenced; sadly Wales NHS has to pay for translation out of a decreasing budget and is not ring fenced.

Welsh translation costs thousands and thousands of pounds every year. Only certain companies can translate and they have to carry heavy insurance in case mistakes are made and they are sued.

It is extraordinarily difficult to get translation costs out of any department associated with the Welsh Government. In this day and age one might think that a couple of taps on a computer will bring up the figure for whatever establishment one is dealing with.

It seems the accounting methods mean translation costs don't get amalgamated per unit or establishment but get subdivided down to very small groups, subgroups etc within a specific organisation. It takes a lot of hard work and time to add them all up.

Re Mr Young's point about minimal printing costs.

How I wish they were, the number of Welsh Government AGMs I have attended shows in each case, many many copies of Annual Reports translated into Welsh that nobody wants.

All the English copies go, all the Welsh copies are left. What happens to them? They all go for recycling I presume.

Some annual reports run to hundreds of pages.

Think of all the ink, paper, printing, labour costs, transport costs etc in getting these things printed. Mr Young seems to have a rather simplistic view of printing costs.

Wales is I fear not a very "green" country with regard to trees and paper etc.

I have never been able to understand why those of us who do not want things printed in Welsh are forced to have them.

Surely it is only sensible if you want something in Welsh; ask for it and it can then be supplied to you.

I am not against the Welsh language, long may it thrive.

All I ask for is a little common sense.

(Name and address supplied)