British Sign Language (Wales) Bill
| Act of Senedd Cymru | |
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| Long title | An Act of Senedd Cymru to promote the use of British Sign Language in Wales. |
|---|---|
| Introduced by | Mark Isherwood MS |
Status: Pending | |
| History of passage through the Senedd | |
The British Sign Language (Wales) Bill (Welsh: Bil Iaith Arwyddion Prydain (Cymru)) is a proposed law of Wales, which relates to the promotion of British Sign Language (BSL) in Wales.
Background
BSL was first recognised by the Welsh Government in 2004.[1]
The British Sign Language (Scotland) Act 2015 was passed at the Scottish Parliament and the British Sign Language Act 2022 was passed at the Westminster Parliament.[2]
Provisions
The act requires designated public bodies to publish a report with how they are "facilitating" BSL through the reporting cycle established by the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.[2]
Legislative passage
Mark Isherwood won the ballot to introduce a member's bill in the Senedd.[3] The consultation on the bill was launched in January 2025.[4]
Reception
The legislation is supported by Deaf and Sensory Network and Bylines Cyrmu.[5][6]
References
- ^ Hume, Colette (27 August 2018). "Entertainment industry 'could do more' for deaf people". BBC News. Archived from the original on 15 June 2025. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
- ^ a b Wilks, Rob (2024). "Unseen and unheard: how the Future Generations Act is not addressing the needs of the Welsh deaf community". Disability & Society. 0: 1–27. doi:10.1080/09687599.2024.2412267. ISSN 0968-7599.
- ^ "British Sign Language bill wins backbench Members ballot". Aberdare Online. Archived from the original on 22 May 2024. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
- ^ Davies, Meg (23 January 2025). "MS asks deaf communities for views on proposed Welsh BSL bill". Nation.Cymru. Archived from the original on 23 January 2025. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
- ^ "Leading charity backs North Wales MS's push for British Sign Language Bill". Wrexam.com. 8 May 2025. Archived from the original on 8 May 2025. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
- ^ Moon, Cedric (30 April 2025). "British Sign Language interpretation and handling of complaints in Wales". Bylines Cymru. Archived from the original on 15 June 2025. Retrieved 15 June 2025.