Home Office criticised after failing to secure BSL interpreter for emergency evacuation workshop

The Home Office has been criticised over the accessibility of its latest consultation workshops, after the department failed to secure a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter and left one disabled participant unable to share their views.

Civil servants had initially said it would provide BSL access to a session last week, where they would discuss how to support disabled residents in high-rise buildings who may be unable to evacuate themselves in an emergency.

It follows the Phase 1 report of the Grenfell Tower inquiry, which recommended owners and managers of “every high-rise residential building be required by law to prepare personal emergency evacuation plans [PEEPs] for all residents whose ability to self-evacuate may be compromised”.

The UK Government ran a consultation on the implementation of the report’s recommendations between June and July last year, and afterwards concluded policy decisions on this issue needed to be “proportionate, practical and safe” and that “significant issues” remained around implementation.

A new consultation was launched on 18 May seeking views on alternative proposals, with four workshops scheduled to discuss them in further detail.

However, while The Limping Chicken understands a request was made by an individual for a BSL interpreter for the 15 July session, the Home Office was unable to source one with their provider.

The Leaseholders Disability Action Group (CLADDAG), which advocates for disabled and older people affected by the cladding crisis, shared the news a day before the workshop – writing in a tweet that it was “disappointed” that an interpreter wasn’t provided:

Disappointed to hear that the Home Office cannot provide a BSL interpreter for tomorrow's PEEPs workshop (the only one out of 5 where this was offered). It's almost like Deaf and disabled folk aren't expected to attend…

— claddag (@claddag) July 14, 2022

 

In a statement issued to The Limping Chicken, CLADDAG co-founders Sarah Rennie and Georgie Hulme said: “Accessibility and inclusion has been an issue throughout the series of workshops and it’s frustrating that lessons were not learn from last year’s workshops. Minimal effort has been made to promote the sessions to the Deaf and disabled community and, given the ‘debate’ is about our right to survive a fire, this is unforgivable.

“The Home Office has proved in the way that they have planned and Chaired the ‘workshops’ that they have little understanding of accessibility, inclusion and safe spaces for discussing traumatic issues.”

The group are now fundraising to cover court fees and potential Home Office legal costs as a result of taking the government to court over its decision not to make PEEPs a statutory requirement.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “The Home Office has been holding series of public facing workshops to discuss our Emergency Evacuation Information Sharing+ consultation, with a range of groups, experts and individuals represented.

“We are keen to hear from as broad a range of people as possible, particularly those most likely to be affected by our proposals. We ask all workshop attendees if they required reasonable adjustments for their participation.

“We are arranging for an interpreter at the next workshop.”

The fourth and final Home Office workshop is scheduled to take place on Wednesday 27 July, from 5pm to 6:30pm, with those interested in attending asked to email Simon Glenville at simon.glenville@homeoffice.gov.uk.

Photo: Steph Gray/Flickr.

By Liam O’Dell. Liam is an award-winning Deaf freelance journalist and campaigner from Bedfordshire. He can be found talking about disability, theatre, politics and more on Twitter and on his website.