Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, with reference to the transparency data entitled Cabinet Office: Government Procurement Card spend over £500 - December 2024, published on 30 January 2025, for what reason her Department spent £790.50 on 23 December 2024 with Karen Newby Ltd under the category of interpretation.

Following the British Sign Language (BSL) Act coming into force in April 2022, which legally recognises BSL as a language of England, Scotland and Wales, a non-statutory BSL Advisory Board of 17 predominantly BSL users was established to advise the Government on matters of importance to Deaf people and on the implementation of the BSL Act. This payment represents a fee for British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation services to support the smooth running and accessible communication for the quarterly BSL Advisory Board meeting that took place in person on 6 November 2024.