The Welsh Parliament has today voted to support a motion proposing a British Sign Language (BSL) Bill for Wales.

The motion, introduced by Welsh Conservative MS for North Wales, Mark Isherwood, called on the Senedd/Welsh Parliament 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”.

The Motion was passed, with 37 in favour, 15 abstentions, and none against.

Closing his debate, Mr Isherwood, who is himself a hearing aid wearer, said:

“As the British Deaf Association (BDA) state: ‘BSL is not just a language; it is also a gateway to learning, a path towards a sense of Deaf identity, and the means whereby Deaf people survive and flourish in a hearing world’  and ‘giving BSL full legal status in Wales would ensure that it has the same protection as the Welsh language’.

“Existing legislation does not meet the needs of BSL users, or the wider Deaf community. As BDA Scotland said in evidence received by the Scottish Parliament’s Education and Culture Committee on the BSL (Scotland) Act, the UK Equality Act 2010 ‘accords rights to individuals to protect them from discrimination, but it does not protect or promote BSL as a language’ – and the same applies to existing Welsh legislation.

“I urge all Members to support this motion accordingly.”