Education, Children and Young People Committee

Meeting date: Wednesday, April 20, 2022

Official Report 650KB pdf

British Sign Language Bill

Welcome back. Our next item of business is consideration of legislative consent memorandum LCM-S6-17, on the British Sign Language Bill, which is UK Parliament legislation. The bill recognises British Sign Language as a language of England, Wales and Scotland, places a duty on the secretary of state to report on the promotion and facilitation of the use of BSL by ministerial Government departments and places a duty on the secretary of state to issue guidance on the general promotion and facilitation of BSL.

The entirety of the bill extends to Scotland. Clauses 1, 2 and 3 all relate to the reserved matter of equal opportunities but fall within one of the exceptions to that reservation. As such, each of those provisions relates to matters that the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish ministers have competence for.

The Scottish Government recommends consent because, although the Scottish Parliament has passed the British Sign Language (Scotland) Act 2015 and has established a precedent of support for the promotion of BSL, the bill will additionally recognise in statute BSL as a language of Scotland. Furthermore, the Scottish Government has stated that

“the Bill will be beneficial to Scotland’s BSL communities, as it will promote the use of BSL in Scotland, particularly in relation to reserved functions.”

The committee considered its approach to scrutiny of the LCM at its meeting on 30 March and agreed to write to the Scottish Government to seek an update on progress since the introduction of the 2015 act. The response from the Minister for Children and Young People is included in members’ papers. The minister has stated:

“A significant part of the Act is delivered through the British Sign Language National Plan 2017-2023 ... A new National Plan will be published and implemented following the conclusion of the current plan at the end of 2023”.

Do members have any comments?

I am very enthusiastic about the fact that Scotland has played a leading role in terms of the 2015 act, and I think that that is a point of progress that should be noted and commented on. The fact that the UK Parliament’s legislation will establish BSL as a language of Scotland is very much to be welcomed. I think that we are all in agreement.

Are members content that a short report be prepared by the clerks and signed off by myself and the deputy convener?

Members indicated agreement.

Ideally, the report should be published by the end of this week.

Is the committee minded to recommend in its report that the Parliament agree to a legislative consent motion in the terms outlined in the LCM?

Members indicated agreement.