Skip to main content
Loading…

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.  

Filter your results Hide all filters

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
Select which types of business to include


Select level of detail in results

Displaying 1156 contributions

|

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee [Draft]

British Sign Language Inquiry

Meeting date: 17 June 2025

Karen Adam

Under our second agenda item, we have the final evidence sessions of our inquiry into the British Sign Language (Scotland) Act 2015. In the inquiry, the committee is exploring whether the BSL act, the current BSL plan and the listed authority plans are improving the lives of BSL users, and what changes could be made in the shorter and longer term to further improve things. I refer members to papers 1 and 2, and I welcome the first of two panels of witnesses.

We are joined in the room by Professor Annelies Kusters, professor of sociolinguistics, and Dr Robert Adam, associate professor in languages and intercultural studies, who are both from Heriot-Watt University. Joining us online from NHS Forth Valley are Stacey Gourlay, who is the disability liaison officer, and Rachel Tardito, who is the equality, diversity and wellbeing lead. Good morning—you are all very welcome to the committee.

We have just under an hour and a half for the discussion. We have not scheduled any breaks, but please indicate to me or the clerks if a break would be helpful. We move straight to questions and I will start us off. What are the positive impacts of the BSL act, and what are the main challenges in meeting its aims?

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee [Draft]

United Kingdom Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 17 June 2025

Karen Adam

Are members content to take on board Maggie Chapman’s suggestion and ask for more detail?

Members indicated agreement.

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee [Draft]

United Kingdom Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 17 June 2025

Karen Adam

Thank you. We will write to the Scottish Government and we will take on board Maggie Chapman’s suggestion.

That concludes our business in public. We will move into private session to discuss the remaining items on our agenda. Thank you.

11:24 Meeting continued in private until 12:09.  

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee [Draft]

British Sign Language Inquiry

Meeting date: 3 June 2025

Karen Adam

Thank you. That is helpful. We will certainly take note of that.

I again thank everyone for their evidence today. We will now have a brief suspension to allow for a changeover of witnesses.

10:47 Meeting suspended.  

11:00 On resuming—  

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee [Draft]

British Sign Language Inquiry

Meeting date: 3 June 2025

Karen Adam

Thank you.

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee [Draft]

British Sign Language Inquiry

Meeting date: 3 June 2025

Karen Adam

Thank you. As you say that, I am aware that if there was a classroom assistant who could use BSL to talk to a deaf child in a mainstream school, that child would still only be talking to an adult in the classroom. What difference would it make to a deaf child if other pupils in the class—their peers—could communicate with them in BSL?

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee [Draft]

British Sign Language Inquiry

Meeting date: 3 June 2025

Karen Adam

Thank you for that.

Hannah, what do you see as the positives and the challenges of the BSL legislation?

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee [Draft]

British Sign Language Inquiry

Meeting date: 3 June 2025

Karen Adam

I welcome our second panel of witnesses today: Professor Jemina Napier, who is chair of intercultural communication, Heriot-Watt University; Lucy Clark, who is a deaf domestic abuse researcher, advocate and trainer; and Rachel O’Neill, who is from the Moray house school of education and sport, University of Edinburgh. You are all welcome. As with the first panel, we have not scheduled a break, but please indicate to me or the clerks if you would like a short break.

I say in BSL, good morning and welcome to the Scottish Parliament and the equalities committee. It is good to see you.

I will start off by asking questions. We heard from the first panel about a lot the positives of the British Sign Language (Scotland) Act 2015 but also some of the challenges with it. I will come to you first, Lucy Clark. What is your opinion on the positives of the BSL act and what challenges have you seen?

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee [Draft]

British Sign Language Inquiry

Meeting date: 3 June 2025

Karen Adam

That is great. What are the challenges with implementing some of the actions related to the BSL act?

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee [Draft]

British Sign Language Inquiry

Meeting date: 3 June 2025

Karen Adam

That is okay, thank you. Alana Harper, what are the positive impacts of the act, and what are the main challenges?