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Chamber and committees

Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 12 July 2025
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Displaying 1156 contributions

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Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee [Draft]

British Sign Language Inquiry

Meeting date: 17 June 2025

Karen Adam

We move on to questions from Marie McNair.

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee [Draft]

British Sign Language Inquiry

Meeting date: 17 June 2025

Karen Adam

We have heard much praise for Contact Scotland BSL and how it has been a lifeline for BSL users, and, to an extent, life changing for them. However, although, overall, Contact Scotland has made quite a significant improvement in the lives of BSL users, we have also heard some evidence this morning on some issues with it with regard to quality and the appropriateness of interpreters in different situations, and we have also heard concerns about threats to its continuation. What can the Scottish Government do to ensure the service stays and is possibly improved?

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee [Draft]

British Sign Language Inquiry

Meeting date: 17 June 2025

Karen Adam

We are getting short of time now, but we still have a couple of members who would like to ask some questions. We go first to Pam Gosal.

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee [Draft]

British Sign Language Inquiry

Meeting date: 17 June 2025

Karen Adam

Thank you, Deputy First Minister. We will now move to questions, and I will start us off.

We have heard from witnesses that the BSL act has improved visibility and awareness of BSL in Scotland. We have even heard praise for the fact that Scotland has been a leader in this area, by recognising BSL as an official language, and praise for the engagement that there has been with the BSL community, but there has also been some criticism with regard to the delivery of services, capacity building and the lack of interpreters and teachers of BSL. What do you think are the positive impacts of the BSL act, and what have been the main challenges in delivery of the aims?

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee [Draft]

British Sign Language Inquiry

Meeting date: 17 June 2025

Karen Adam

Stacey, as someone who uses Contact Scotland BSL in your service delivery, do you feel that it has changed the services that you provide? How has it improved things for BSL users, if it has?

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee [Draft]

British Sign Language Inquiry

Meeting date: 17 June 2025

Karen Adam

Thank you. We move on to questions from Paul O’Kane.

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee [Draft]

British Sign Language Inquiry

Meeting date: 17 June 2025

Karen Adam

We move on to a question from Evelyn Tweed.

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee [Draft]

United Kingdom Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 17 June 2025

Karen Adam

Our next agenda item is consideration of a type 1 consent notification for the Private International Law (Implementation of Agreements) Act 2020. I refer members to paper 3. The Minister for Victims and Community Safety wrote to the committee on 27 May to give notice of the Scottish Government’s proposal to consent to the UK statutory instrument. The UK Government intends to lay the instrument on 1 September 2025.

Do members wish to make any comments on the Scottish Government’s notification?

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee [Draft]

British Sign Language Inquiry

Meeting date: 17 June 2025

Karen Adam

Thank you. Before I bring this session to a close, I ask the witnesses whether they have been able to express everything that they wished to. Would you like to add anything else?

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee [Draft]

British Sign Language Inquiry

Meeting date: 17 June 2025

Karen Adam

That is great. Thank you all once again very much for joining us. That brings our evidence session to a close. We will suspend briefly for a changeover of witnesses.

10:02 Meeting suspended.  

10:07 On resuming—