I refer to Mr Bruce Lawson’s letter in the County Times, December 3rd.

Might I respectfully suggest to Mr Lawson that the Sunday Times figure is a far more accurate representation of the number of Welsh speakers. How can he say that the 18.2 per cent is “more specific”. That was 10 years ago, things have moved on.

A recent APS Poll quotes the number as 29.2 per cent, slightly under 900,000 so the target of 1,000,000 by 20250 seems quite achievable, in fact I’m confident it will be achieved well before then.

“Hundreds of children are crossing the border” according to the Powys County Council leader Rosemarie Harris, is it all to do with the council’s language policy?

“Wales and Powys need more people – young people “ absolutely true, but if you think that promotion of the Welsh language is responsible for this migration, please think again.

Young people have been leaving areas throughout the United Kingdom for decades in search of professional and social opportunities, language is not the issue in these areas, neither is it in Powys.

One thing I do agree with Mr Lawson is that the need for improved housing, jobs, leisure and social opportunities is paramount, but this is not a language issue, it’s socio economic.

That’s the way young people can return, and put to use their experience and expertise gained elsewhere.

A number of English speaking families have moved into Powys.

I can speak about Montgomeryshire with rather more knowledge than some other parts of Powys and I see daily, children from these families, including immigrants from other parts of the world, attending Welsh medium schools, Ysgol Dafydd Llwyd in Newtown is a classic example.

They are the future, learning to speak Welsh should be encouraged. This is not to the detriment of English, on the contrary, the two need to work together.

“Making a difficult language to learn mandatory” is with respect completely at odds with history, give children the opportunity learn new skills, not just language, when they are young, they soon develop.

I wonder if Welsh is any more difficult to learn than German, Russian and Mandarin – I doubt it.

I take exception to your description of Welsh language supporters as zealots, we are proud of our language and wish for nothing more than to see it continue to flourish.

Dai Davies.

Drenewydd.