BSL Week: Amplifying Deaf Voices in Parliament

The Bench Report

This episode explores the vibrant discussions during British Sign Language Week in the UK Parliament. We listen in as Members of Parliament examine the significance of BSL as a language, culture, and cornerstone of the deaf community's identity. The conversation unpacks the progress made since the British Sign Language Act 2022, while also shining a light on the persistent barriers faced by BSL users in accessing education, healthcare, employment, and public services. Discover the passionate calls for improved BSL provision, including early years support for families and the crucial rollout of the BSL GCSE.

Key Takeaways:

• BSL is recognised as more than just a language; it embodies culture, community, and belonging for its users.
• The British Sign Language Act 2022 was a landmark achievement granting legal recognition and promoting its inclusion in government.
• Significant accessibility challenges remain for BSL users in various aspects of daily life, including accessing GP services and understanding written English.
• There are urgent calls for national funding and a universal service for BSL support for families of deaf children.
• The delayed rollout of the BSL GCSE is a source of concern, as it is seen as vital for promoting BSL awareness and creating opportunities.
• Members of Parliament are being encouraged to learn basic BSL to better communicate with their constituents.
• The debate highlighted the importance of including deaf individuals in the design and delivery of services and policies that affect them.
• Technology, including video relay services and AI, holds potential for improving accessibility for BSL users.

Source: British Sign Language Week. Volume 764: debated on Thursday 20 March 2025

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No outside chatter: source material only taken from Hansard https://hansard.parliament.uk/

Parliamentary Committee Reports https://committees.parliament.uk/

The Commons Library https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/

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Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.
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All episodes at www.thebenchreport.co.uk

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Chapters

1. BSL Week: Amplifying Deaf Voices in Parliament (00:00:00)

2. BSL is far more than just a language (00:00:57)

3. British Sign Language Act 2022 (00:02:04)

4. Ongoing challenges - accessibilty and inclusion (00:03:25)

5. Postcode lottery of BSL support (00:04:00)

6. Delays with BSL GCSE (00:05:28)

7. Daily frustrations and social exclusion (00:07:32)

8. Lack of early BSL training (00:09:43)

9. Areas of progress (00:10:36)

10. BSL in the classroom (00:12:44)

11. Government response (00:14:05)

12. Conclusions (00:15:57)