Welsh Parliament passes second motion calling on government to introduce BSL Bill (BSL)

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The Welsh Government has faced renewed calls to introduce a British Sign Language (BSL) Bill, after the country’s Parliament backed a second legislative proposal motion on Wednesday.

Separate to a Member Bill – the process similar to the one which enabled Labour’s Rosie Cooper MP to introduce the BSL Bill in the UK Parliament – a legislative proposal does not trigger “the full legislative process” where it can become law.

Instead, the motion – brought forward by Conservative Senedd member Mark Isherwood MS – proposes that the Parliament “notes a proposal for a Bill that would make provision to encourage the use of British Sign Language (BSL) in Wales, and improve access to education and services in BSL”.

It comes after Mr Isherwood brought forward another legislative proposal on this issue in February last year – before the BSL Bill passed all stages of the UK Parliament in April this year.

The second legislative proposal – different in wording to the first – goes on to add that the purpose of a BSL Bill for Wales would include to “remove the barriers that exist for deaf people and their families in education, health, public services, support services and in the workplace” and “ensure that deaf communities have a voice in the design and delivery of services to ensure they meet their needs”.

Such a Bill, if introduced, would also establish a “BSL Commissioner” to set standards for BSL, set up a “BSL advisory panel”, produce reports on BSL every five years, and issue guidance for public bodies to “promote and facilitate BSL” in their “domains”.

The Welsh Government would also have a duty to publish a yearly BSL report on what its departments have done to promote BSL.

Saying he was “delighted” by the passage of the BSL Bill in the UK Parliament, Mr Isherwood MS told the Senedd: “Although the Welsh Government has commissioned an audit of their BSL provision against the [British Deaf Association’s] BSL Charter, this has not yet been published, and the BDA has told me that a common theme emerging from the Welsh Deaf community is a dire for more Welsh Deaf leadership in BSL service delivery; for BSL services to be delivered by Deaf BSL signers themselves; and for support to enable Deaf-led professional planning and budget setting on BSL issues”.

The Welsh Government will debate a motion for a #BSLBill for Wales this afternoon. Great work @MarkIsherwoodMS , for proposing! If successful, this motion will ask the Welsh Gov to start creating a BSL Bill for Wales.
#BDAWales and #BSLActNow will be watching with interest… pic.twitter.com/AcwGhL8gFZ

— British Deaf Association (@BDA_Deaf) December 7, 2022

He went on to add that the BDA believes this seems to be because Welsh Deaf signers have seen the Welsh Government and local authorities have paid non-signers to design and deliver BSL services.

The charity was also said to be supportive of the idea of a BSL Commissioner, which would show “a significant message of support to the D/deaf community in Wales”.

Welsh Labour MS Mike Hedges, who has a profoundly deaf sister, backed the motion and described the proposal as “an important piece of legislation” for the Deaf community.

Meanwhile Laura Anne Jones MS, a Welsh Conservative, noted there are no schools in Wales with a specialist provision for deaf children, which is “not something that we should be proud of”.

Responding to the motion on behalf of the government, Minister for Social Justice Jane Hutt MS confirmed the BDA are due to publish its report on its BSL Audit of the Welsh Government in January.

When one MS, Andrew R.T. Davies MS, pressed the minister on bringing forward legislation to “enshrine” the rights of Deaf people, Ms Hutt MS responded that it is “very important” the government hears “from the British Deaf Association on their audit”.

She added: “The British Sign Language Act 2022 contains provision to recognise BSL as a language in England, Wales and Scotland […] In April this year, I led a debate to approve a legislative consent memorandum in relation to the then BSL Bill.

“The Act does not prevent the Senedd from legislating in this area, should it choose to do so. There are carve-outs in the Act for devolved public authorities and for Welsh ministers, and it’s right that we can decide on a comprehensive Welsh method to suit our own approach.

“We can’t change history, but we can influence and change what the future holds, and [the] Welsh Government is committed to building a future of equality for all deaf and hard of hearing people in Wales, and this debate here is a really important contribution to that.”

The motion was eventually agreed with 38 votes in favour, 12 abstentions and 0 votes against.

A recording of the debate with BSL interpretation, as well as a written transcript, can be found on the Welsh Parliament and Senedd.TV websites.

Photo: Ismail Mila/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.