Four months on from his motion proposing a British Sign Language (BSL) Bill for Wales being passed in the Senedd, North Wales MS Mark Isherwood has today questioned the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution, Mick Antoniw MS, over discussions he has had, or will have, with the legal sector on ways in which the objectives of the proposed Bill could be promoted through legislation.
The motion, introduced by Mr Isherwood on February 24th calling on the Senedd to “[note] 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”, was passed with 37 in favour, 15 abstentions, and none against.
As members of all Parties voted in favour of the motion, demonstrating a clear appetite for such BSL legislation across the Senedd Chamber, Mr Isherwood is keen to pursue this on behalf of the D/deaf community and therefore raised the matter in today’s meeting of the Welsh Parliament.
Questioning the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution, he said:
“Too many disabled people continue to suffer social injustice because of the barriers to access and inclusion placed in their way at all levels of society. On 24 February this year, the Senedd voted in support of my Member's Legislative Proposal for a British Sign Language - or BSL - Bill.
“As a member of the Cross Party Group on Deaf Issues in the Senedd since 2003, and as Chair of the Cross Party Group on Disability in previous Senedd terms, this is an issue I've long been involved with in both North and South Wales.
“My proposed Bill would make provision to encourage the use of BSL in Wales, and improve access to education and services in BSL. As you know, however, the vote here in February only ‘noted’ my Member’s Legislative Proposal, and a Bill therefore needs to be successfully proposed in this Parliament so that legislation can go forward, commencing with a wide public consultation.
“What discussions have you had, therefore, or will you have with the legal sector on ways in which the objectives of my proposed Bill could be promoted through legislation?”
The Minister told Mr Isherwood that “the issue of individual Members' legislation is a matter for you, and it's a matter for the Senedd.”
He added:
“What I'm keen to do is to actually have discussions with the legal profession collectively about the way in which we are able to actually provide the advice and the support that give support to our communities, all those who are actually the most vulnerable and in need.”
Speaking afterwards, Mr Isherwood added:
“As the British Deaf Association (BDA) state: ‘BSL is not just a language; it is also a gateway to learning, and the means whereby Deaf people survive and flourish in a hearing world’.
“As an adult with hearing loss, Chair of the Senedd Cross-Party Group on Disability and member of the Senedd Cross-Party Group on Deaf Issues in previous Senedd terms, and now Chair of the Senedd Cross-Party Group on Deaf Issues in this 6th Senedd, I have long been calling for more support for D/deaf people in Wales, and I will continue pushing for British Sign Language legislation in Wales during this Senedd term, because, as I have previously said, without specific rights-based legislation, the Welsh Government’s generic legislation is going nowhere.”
