Plaid Cymru leader Ieuan Wyn Jones

Party leaders in Wales have been setting out their position on the need for new legislation on the Welsh language.

The first Welsh Language Act of 1993 put Welsh on an equal footing with English, meaning all public sector organisations must offer a bilingual service.

The Welsh Language Society, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, has demanded new legislation to make Welsh the country's official language and extend bilingual rules to the private sector.

Plaid Cymru leader Ieuan Wyn Jones speaks at a rally organised by the society on Saturday, where he is expected to say: "After 13 years of the current Welsh Language Act, which has worked better than many thought, the time has come to move things forward.

"The weakness of the current Act must be addressed by giving Welsh official status and enshrining rights for Welsh speakers in law.

"This is important both symbolically and in practice.

"I am calling on the other political parties in Wales to respond to this agenda, as I recognise that it will need a new political consensus to introduce these changes."

On Friday Conservative leader in the Welsh assembly Nick Bourne and Welsh language spokesman Lisa Francis took part in talks with the society in Aberystwyth.

Francis said her personal view was that "much could be achieved by strengthening existing legislation" rather than introducing a new act, but that the party was considering the evidence before making a decision on the issue.

Bourne said: "It was thanks to a Conservative government that the existing Welsh Language Act was passed, and both the Welsh Language Board and S4C were created.

"Education, support and encouragement are effective ways forward in promoting greater use of the Welsh language.

"As a party we believe that there should be a different approach towards promoting the Welsh language in different parts of Wales.

"There should be identification of areas where the Welsh language remains the language of the community and where distinctive policies should apply."