Wales’ former first minister has set out plans for a major shake-up of Welsh-language education.

Mark Drakeford said the Welsh language and education bill goes beyond Welsh-medium education, and explained the reforms aim to improve how Welsh is taught in English-medium schools.

Prof Drakeford warned that too few children emerge confident and competent speakers of the language despite compulsory lessons in Welsh.

He told the Senedd’s education committee: “We have an ambitious target of a million Welsh speakers by 2050.

“If we are to achieve that target then the contribution that the education system must make … is at the centre of that effort.

“That means it cannot rely entirely on young people who receive their education through the medium of Welsh, it must encompass all children.”

Heledd Fychan, Plaid Cymru’s shadow culture secretary, asked what difference it will make putting the ‘Cymraeg 2050’ target on a legal, rather than aspirational, footing.

Prof Drakeford said a statutory target safeguards its future and underlines its importance and emphasised that the 2050 target includes doubling daily use of the language.

He said the bill would set a 10 per cent minimum level for the amount of Welsh-language education provision in primarily English-language schools.