North Wales MS Mark Isherwood hails British Sign Language Wales Bill as “momentous occasion”
The British Sign Language (Wales) Bill has passed its final stage in the Senedd, with North Wales MS Mark Isherwood describing Wednesday’s vote as “a momentous occasion.”
Mr Isherwood, who chairs the Senedd Cross Party Group on Deaf Issues, moved the Stage 4 motion for the bill, calling it “an absolute privilege” to do so.
He said the legislation, once implemented, “will firmly place Wales as a leading nation in how BSL policy is designed and delivered for the benefit of the Deaf community.”
The bill is the sixth Member’s Bill to have passed in the Welsh Assembly or Senedd since 1999.
Mr Isherwood told the Senedd the journey had begun in October 2018, when delegates and Deaf community members at the North Wales Lend Me Your Ears Conference called for dedicated British Sign Language legislation in Wales.
In February 2021, the Senedd voted to note his proposal for a bill aimed at promoting the use of BSL and strengthening access to education and public services through the language.
Members endorsed the principle again in late 2022.
In June 2024, the Senedd voted to allow Mr Isherwood to bring the legislation forward following a successful Member’s Bill Ballot.
Mr Isherwood told Wednesday’s debate that BSL is not simply a means of communication for many Deaf people but “their first language — the primary way they express themselves, connect with others, and access the services they rely upon.”
He said too many Deaf people are still prevented from accessing essential public services because those services are not available in the language they use every day.
“This Bill will put in place a framework to help ensure that position changes,” he said.
He described the bill as “without doubt, the most progressive BSL legislation in the UK.”
Mr Isherwood thanked members across the chamber for their support, saying: “The importance of the legislation is highlighted by the overwhelming support I have received from Members across the Chamber, and from Government.”
The Wales Consortium, a group of organisations representing the Deaf community and British Sign Language sector in Wales, welcomed the vote.
The consortium, whose members include Action Deafness Cymru, the British Deaf Association, the National Deaf Children’s Society Cymru and RNID among others, said the bill’s passage “ensures that the distinct language and culture of BSL signers is recognised.”
It said: “The Welsh Government is now required to take action to address the long-standing inequalities that our community experiences.”
The consortium said BSL signers had “had to navigate inaccessible public services every day” and had “their language needs denied across healthcare, education, transport, and more.”
“The Bill’s passing is a critical step in the right direction to address this,” the consortium said.
“The experience and expectations of Deaf BSL signers can be central to how we improve public services across Wales. We want to have a real say over the decisions that affect our lives.”
The consortium credited campaigners across the Deaf community for the bill’s passage and singled out Mr Isherwood as “a tireless advocate for the Deaf community within the Senedd.”
The Wales Consortium is co-chaired by Alison Bryan and Dr Rob Wilks, and includes ABSLTA (Association of BSL Teachers and Assessors), Action Deafness Cymru, ASLI, British Deaf Association, COS (The Centre of Sign-Sight-Sound), National Deaf Children’s Society Cymru, NRCPD, RNID, Signature, Talking Hands Deaf Children and Young People, and VLP.
Following the Stage 4 debate, Mr Isherwood joined Deaf community members from across Wales at a celebratory event in Cardiff Bay.
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