BSL-72 Lianne Murphy

Senedd Cymru | Welsh Parliament

Bil Aelod Arfaethedig – Mark Isherwood AS | Proposed Member Bill - Mark Isherwood MS

Datblygu'r Bil Iaith Arwyddion Prydain (BSL) (Cymru) | Development of the British Sign Language (BSL) (Wales) Bill

Ymateb gan: Lianne Murphy | Evidence from: Lianne Murphy

The need for legislation

The British Sign Language Act 2022 requires the UK Government to issue guidance about the promotion and facilitation of the use of British Sign Language (BSL). This however only applies in England and not to the Welsh Government or public bodies in Wales such as councils or the NHS.  The British Sign Language (BSL) (Wales) Bill aims to place equivalent specific duties on the Welsh Government and public bodies in Wales.

Question 1: Do you think there is a need for this legislation? Please provide reasons for your answer.

Yes. I feel that this should be a policy thought the entire United Kingdom.

Question 2: Do you agree or disagree with the goals that the Bill seeks to achieve? Please provide reasons for your answer.

Whilst I agree that deaf people and the signing community need to be metaphorically heard more, I feel that the Bill is creating an "us versus them" vibe. It would be better t o promote inclusivity by educating the wider population and furthering understanding and tolerance by having sign language taught to all. Whilst it would be great if the whole country could communicate fluently in sign, this clearly isn't a plausible undertaking in terms of education and government spending but even having all school children to learn finger spelling, numbers and a few basic words and phrases would go a long way to improving inclusivity within the next generation. Having access to short courses for adults as well as the provision for those who wish to study further is also a must if you wish to reduce barriers, especially within the workplace. BSL should also be a mandatory module within the healthcare profession as having to type/write, especially in emergency situations, could be impossible or potentially life threatening.

British Sign Language

Question 3: Do you agree that the Bill should include proposals to promote and facilitate the use of BSL and its tactile forms?

Yes

Question 4: Do you agree that the Bill should support the various Welsh regional dialects of BSL?

No

Question 5: Do you think that the term ‘BSL users’ should be replaced with ‘BSL signers’, recognising that BSL is a language which includes both deaf and hearing signers? Please provide reasons for your answer.

Yes.

My partner and I debated this one - we don't really see a problem with either particularly as we said that people "use" other languages as well as "speak" other languages. I chose No for this, however, as I don't think that changing the vernacular on this is of importance and that it will detract from what the Bill really needs to accomplish.

Question 6: Do you think that the term ‘deaf BSL signers’ can be used when referring to BSL users/signers who are medically or audiologically deaf?  Please provide reasons for your answer.

Yes.

I would like to hear counter arguments for this as I cannot think of any reason that someone would say no to this. Well, apart from the whole deaf/Deaf debate, that is.

Deaf Communities

Question 7: Do you agree or disagree that deaf communities:

a) currently have a voice in the design and delivery of the public services that they use? Please tick the answer that most applies and provide any comments.

Disagree.

The statistics shown in the report prove that d/Deaf people are not being treated fairly within the education system to start with. This is likely exacerbated in many working environments and throughout dealings with medical professionals etc.

b) should have a formalised voice in the design and delivery of the public services that they use, especially ones targeted at deaf people. Please tick the answer that most applies and provide any comments.

Strongly agree.

"especially ones targeted at deaf people" - this changed my response from agree to strongly agree as how can anything be properly decided upon by those who have no idea what the situation really is?

Question 8: Are there any specific communication methods used by deaf people that you would like the Bill to reference/include?

I personally wish for all videos to have subtitles, especially anything educational - I had to fight at university for subtitles to be included on lecture materials through lockdown, after having to fight for the hearing loops to be fixed in the years prior. Whilst having BSL translations available would be great, this isn't feasible in many situations. Subtitles would also help with literacy (when done properly) and are a great way to improve accessibility.

Barriers that exist for deaf people

Question 9: What do you believe are the main barriers that currently exist for deaf people and/or their families in the following areas. Please tick all that apply and provide information/examples on each area:

Education; Health; Workplace.

Education - this is a clear issue from the statistics provided in the Bill. There are barriers to learning and social interactions as too few non-specialised schools have any working knowledge of BSL.

Health - lack of clear diagnoses and support at all ages. Whilst my problems with the healthcare system and its dismissal of myself as a deaf child were in England, I doubt it's any better over here.

Workplace - there can be so much abuse and ignorance towards the d/Deaf community within the workplace that certain jobs are essentially out of reach for those with hearing impairments.

Establishing a BSL Commissioner for Wales

The Bill proposes to establish a BSL Commissioner who would promote and facilitate the use of BSL, and would have the same powers as other minority language Commissioners such as in the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011.

Question 10: Do you agree or disagree with the proposal to establish a BSL Commissioner for Wales, and, do you have any different suggestions or alternatives? Please provide reasons for your answer.

Yes

Question 11: The proposed remit of the Commissioner would be to:

§ formulate BSL standards;

§ establish a BSL Advisory Panel;

§ produce reports every 5 years in BSL, Welsh and English on the position of BSL in that period;

§ provide guidance and a process for public bodies to promote and facilitate BSL in their respective domains;

§ establish a procedure for the investigation of complaints.

Do you agree with the proposed remit of the Commissioner, and are there any other provisions you would like to include in the Commissioner’s remit? Please provide reasons for your answer.

BSL standards would be nice - there are so many regional dialects that it can make other users nearly unintelligible.

Having 5-yearly reporting seems more manageable and less "for show" than having annual or bi-annual reporting - there does need to be an initial baseline and targets set alongside penalties for those regions or schools that fail to improve on the baseline/previous figures.

Question 12: Do you agree that the BSL Commissioner and the BSL Advisory Panel members should be fluent users/signers?

Yes

Question 13: Do you think that the proposed BSL Commissioner and Advisory Panel should prioritise the following. Please tick all that apply and provide reasons for your answer.

Improving BSL provision in education; Education reduces bias, discrimination, segregation and removes barriers to learning, socialisation and the workplace. It should be top priority.

Question 14: Do you agree or disagree with the proposal to place a duty on the Welsh Government to prepare and publish an annual BSL report? Please provide reasons for your answer.

Yes.

Designing the metrics and defining the baseline and targets will be a complex task but it should be the government or at least the ONS' job to report on these.

Question 15: Are there any other issues that you would like to raise about the Bill and the accompanying Explanatory Memorandum?