A children’s magazine has apologised after publishing an article that listed reasons why minority languages weren’t needed.

Welsh Language Minister Alun Davies had criticised The Week’s Junior article which suggested that minority languages were “a waste of money”.

“We need to be very clear that this is not an acceptable debate,” Alun Davies he said. “No other minority would have their right to exist questioned in this way.”

Welsh was listed amongst the languages included in the article which listed the pros and cons of minority languages. The article suggested that minority languages are “a waste of time and money” and that if a language is falling out of use, it is because “no one needs it”.

The article suggested that minority languages are “a waste of time and money” and that if a language is falling out of use, it is because “no one needs it”.

A statement by the Editor Anna Bassi said that the topic should not have been covered in the way it was.

“The Week Junior’s Big Debate feature on the preservation of minority languages has caused a lot of upset over the weekend,” she said.

“The aim of the debate piece is to get our readers thinking and talking about some of the issues that are featured in the UK press.

“We firmly believe in encouraging young people to explore important issues and allowing them to form their own opinions and develop critical-thinking skills.

“However, I recognise that coverage of this important topic in the form of a debate has caused offence and should have been covered in a different way.

“I would like to apologise both personally and on behalf on the magazine.”

The article had been criticised on Twitter by many who felt that it would skew young reader’s perceptions of minority languages.

Having a debate about the value of lesser spoken languages is in itself anglo-centric and offensive. You don’t get to choose what we speak. — Ian Johnson (@ianjamesjohnson) August 27, 2017

Sides of the debate? Try explaining that to my 8 year old daughter who doesn’t understand why you’re demonising the language she speaks. https://t.co/y6XpBYHBjc — Huw Marshall (@Marshallmedia) August 27, 2017

The article comes in the wake of numerous controversies in which The Guardian, Times, Newsnight and Sports Direct have been criticised for their handling of issues related to the Welsh language.