Administrative Justice and the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011

The purpose of this article is to explain the importance of audience when enacting new legislation, and to question whether the law, and administrative law in particular is weighted against accessibility of the law for the general public. Specifically, it counsels against drafting legislation that focuses unduly on regulating administrative matters when the purpose of the legislation ought to focus on creating substantive rights and clear obligations. The context for this discussion is the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 which, it is will be argued represents a significant move away from legislation for the citizen and towards legislation for the administrator, and specifically for the regulator and the regulator’s regulator.