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Written Question
Sign Language
Tuesday 5th June 2018

Asked by: Lord Bruce of Bennachie (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how much they spend in supporting sign language users across the UK.

Answered by Baroness Buscombe

The information requested to answer the question in full, is not centrally available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.


Written Question
Government Departments: Sign Language
Tuesday 5th June 2018

Asked by: Lord Bruce of Bennachie (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they recognise sign language as a valid and legal means of communication with all Government departments.

Answered by Baroness Buscombe

British Sign Language (BSL) was recognised as a language in its own right by the UK Government in March 2003. All Government departments are under a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments when communicating with disabled people, which might include the provision of BSL interpreters.


Written Question
Hearing Impairment: Telecommunications
Tuesday 5th June 2018

Asked by: Lord Bruce of Bennachie (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to setting up a free-to-access video relay service for public services in England; and what assessment they have made of the take-up of such services in Scotland.

Answered by Baroness Buscombe

British Sign Language (BSL) users already have a well-established, free-to-access Video Relay Service network allowing accessible communication with a range of public services in England, including the Department for Work and Pensions, NHS providers and Local Authorities.

Equality legislation means that public bodies and others have to provide services in BSL and other formats when it is reasonable to do so and the Public Sector Equality Duty requires public bodies to have due regard to the needs of all those with protected characteristics.

BSL is a devolved matter and the Scottish Parliament decided to introduce the British Sign Language (Scotland) Act and have different arrangements to England and Wales. We are looking at developments in Scotland including the take-up of such services to inform our thinking for England and Wales.


Written Question
Sign Language
Tuesday 5th June 2018

Asked by: Lord Bruce of Bennachie (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to support any proposed legislation to give recognition to British and Irish Sign Language on the same basis as Welsh, Gaelic and Cornish.

Answered by Baroness Buscombe

The Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 and the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005, recognise the Welsh and Gaelic languages respectively and provide for the status of the languages in each of those devolved territories. The Cornish language was recognised by the Government in 2002 under the Council of Europe’s European Charter for Regional or Minority languages.

The Government already recognises British Sign Language as a language in its own right. The Equality Act 2010 also places a duty on public bodies, employers, and service providers to provide services in BSL and other formats when it is reasonable to do so. In addition the Public Sector Equality Duty also requires public bodies to have due regard to the needs of all those with protected characteristics. We do not believe that any additional legislation would add to that