Responding to reports and recommendations on his British Sign Language (Wales) Bill, North Wales MS Mark Isherwood has again emphasised how the new legislation will remove barriers faced by Deaf BSL signers in accessing services in their first language.
Speaking in today’s Stage 1 Debate on the General Principles of the British Sign Language (Wales) Bill, Mr Isherwood thanked the three Committees which had conducted Stage 1 scrutiny of the Bill and for their respective reports, and said “I have been able to accept the vast majority of their recommendations and I propose to table appropriate amendments during the ongoing Stages of the Bill, if it passes today’s stage”.
He stressed that his Bill recognises that BSL is a language in its own right, not a communication support need, and highlighted that if we don’t legislate on this now, Wales will be the only UK nation without Sign Language legislation.
He said:
“This Bill will also address the current anomaly, created by the UK Act, which places a duty on the UK Government to prepare and publish BSL reports describing what Government Departments have done to promote the use of BSL, but specifically excludes reporting on matters devolved to Scotland and Wales.
“The BSL (Wales) Bill places legal duties on the Welsh Government and public bodies to actively promote and facilitate the use of British Sign Language (BSL), aiming to remove barriers faced by Deaf BSL signers in accessing services in their first language.
“The Bill requires Welsh Ministers to publish a National BSL Strategy within 18 months of the Act coming into force, setting out how BSL will be promoted and facilitated.
“Progress reports on the strategy must be published at least every three years, ensuring transparency and accountability. The strategy must be reviewed at least every six years, with any revisions also published.
“Public bodies listed in the Bill must develop and publish their own BSL plans within 12 months of the national strategy, followed by reports on their implementation and any unmet actions.
“To ensure consistency and flexibility, Welsh Ministers are required to issue guidance to public bodies on promoting and facilitating BSL.
“Public bodies must also review their plans if directed by Welsh Ministers or if the national strategy is revised.”
He added:
“My response to the Equality and Social Justice Committee’s Stage 1 report on the British Sign Language (Wales) Bill reaffirms the Bill’s core purpose: to deliver real, measurable improvements for the Deaf community in Wales. I welcome the Committee’s scrutiny and agree with the need for clear, time-bound targets in the national BSL strategy, ensuring that the Bill leads to meaningful change.
“In response to the Committee’s recommendations, I have made several commitments to strengthen the Bill. These include reviewing and clarifying the description of BSL in the Explanatory Memorandum, aligning the publication of BSL guidance with the national strategy, and placing a formal duty on Welsh Ministers to consult Deaf BSL signers on both the strategy and guidance.”
Concluding, Mr Isherwood thanked his team, the Commission's Bill team and external partners for "their hard work, support and guidance".
He added:
“If passed, this BSL (Wales) Bill will be the most progressive piece of BSL legislation in the UK. So, let's make this happen together and be proud of it together on behalf of deaf people across Wales.”
