10 February 2022

British Sign Language Bill

The British Sign Language (BSL) Bill asks BSL to become an official language in England, Wales and Scotland.

Last summer, Rosie Cooper MP introduced this Private Member's Bill (PMB). PMBs can be submitted by MPs and Lords who are not government ministers. Although few PMBs become law, they may influence legislation indirectly by creating publicity around an issue.

The Minister for Disabled People, Chloe Smith MP, and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) support the bill, reflecting a government commitment to improving accessibility for deaf people. The RNID and the British Deaf Association also support the bill.

If the bill becomes law, it would:

• Create a duty on ministerial departments to report their BSL usage in communications with the public annually
• Establish a non-statutory advisory board of BSL users to promote and advise on the use of BSL
• Establish principles for using BSL in public services.

The bill may also encourage other organisations to adopt these principles. It would help the 150,000 deaf adults and children in the UK who use BSL. Around 70,000 of them use it as their preferred means of communication.

Damian Testa, head of policy and public affairs at the NCHA, said: "This bill would recognise BSL as an official language in the UK. Legal recognition of BSL will help deaf people reach their full potential, improve their chances at work, and contribute to a more inclusive, equal and open society."