MS asks deaf communities for views on proposed Welsh BSL bill

Meg Davies
Mark Isherwood MS is asking Welsh BSL signers for their thoughts on the proposed BSL Bill in Wales.
His consultation, which was launched in November, encourages deaf communities and BSL signers to provide their views on the proposed law and why it is needed.
Mr Isherwoood won a Senedd ballot to present the British Sign Language Wales bill last April.
BSL signers
Mr Isherwood said: “We need particularly to hear from BSL signers, deaf communities, anybody living with hearing loss or to whom BSL is important.”
He explained: “The language bill is designed to ensure that BSL signers are not treated less favourably than people who use Welsh or English as their language” and “to enable BSl signers and deaf communities to be involved in the design, delivery and monitory of the services they use to ensure equal access to things like education and other public service, removing the barriers people shouldn’t have to face”.
The proposed bill would “improve access to education, health and public services in BSL, and support the removal of barriers that exist for deaf people and their families”.
Welsh legislation
Mr Isherwood noted that Wales is the only UK nation without a BSL act, and that the proposed BSL (Wales) Bill would make provisions specifically for Wales.
Under the UK BSL Act, sections two and three of the legislation relating to the government’s work to “promote and facilitate” BSL, and the issuing of guidance on BSL, do not extend to matters concerning Wales and which are devolved to the nation’s Senedd.
Mr Isherwood said: “Ministers in Wales currently do not have [BSL] responsibilities or duties for the services that they are responsible for in Wales.”
He explained his proposed bill would “extend” the two legislation sections to cover the Welsh Government, as well as introduce a “BSL commissioner”.
“The BSL commissioner would formulate BSL standards; establish a BSL advisory panel; produce reports every five years in BSL, Welsh and English on the position of BSL in that period; provide guidance and a process for public bodies to promote and facilitate BSL in their respective domains; and establish a procedure for the investigation of complaints.”
Call for input
Mr Isherwood said: “We need your support, we need your input into the consultation, we need you to be telling the Welsh government why we need this legislation in Wales.”
Responses can be uploaded in BSL, English or Welsh via the online consultation form, found here.
The consultation is scheduled to close on 31 January 2025.
Support our Nation today
For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.