Meeting of the Parliament

Meeting date: Thursday, September 17, 2015

Official Report 860KB pdf

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British Sign Language (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3

The next item of business is stage 3 proceedings on the British Sign Language (Scotland) Bill. In dealing with the amendments, members should have the bill as amended at stage 2, SP bill 55A, as revised; the marshalled list, SP bill 55A-ML, as revised; and the groupings, SP bill 55A-G, as revised.

The division bell will sound and proceedings will be suspended for five minutes for the first division of the afternoon. The period of voting for the first division will be 30 seconds. Thereafter, I will allow a voting period of one minute for the first division after a debate. Members who wish to speak in the debate on any group of amendments should press their request-to-speak buttons as soon as possible after I call the group.

I ask members to note that we have interpreters in the chamber this afternoon. Therefore it would be helpful if speeches were delivered more slowly than usual.

I ask members to refer to the marshalled list of amendments.

Section 1—Functions of the Scottish Ministers in relation to British Sign Language

Group 1 is on the status of British Sign Language. Amendment 7, in the name of Mark Griffin, is the only amendment in the group.

Amendment 7 is a small but significant amendment that removes the word “sign” from the bill. Although British Sign Language is a sign language, it is a language in its own right, and the amendment will give additional resonance and emphasis to that fact. Throughout the bill’s progress, one of the clearest arguments that were put forward by witnesses in favour of the bill has been that BSL should be recognised as a language. This amendment will help to achieve that goal, making it clear to non-BSL users that BSL is a language and not simply a form of communication for a particular group.

I move amendment 7.

The Scottish Government likewise regards British Sign Language as a language. We confirmed that in a formal statement of recognition in 2011. In referring to British Sign Language simply as a language, rather than—as in the bill as originally drafted—as a sign language, the amendment is consistent with our support for BSL. Therefore, the Scottish Government is happy to support the amendment.

Amendment 7 agreed to.

Section 5—Progress reports

Group 2 is on BSL translation of progress reports. Amendment 1, in the name of the minister, is grouped with amendments 2 and 3.

At stage 2, Mr Griffin lodged a series of amendments requiring that both the BSL national plan and listed authority BSL plans be translated into BSL. The Scottish Government fully supported those amendments at the time. Amendment 1 requires the Scottish ministers to translate the national progress reports into BSL. That means that the national progress reports, which will be published every six years, will be accessible to BSL users, who will naturally take a great interest in what progress is being made by national, regional and local public bodies.

Amendments 2 and 3 are minor technical amendments that are necessary as a consequence of amendment 1.

I move amendment 1.

I welcome the amendments, which honour a commitment that the minister gave to the Education and Culture Committee at stage 2. We had largely addressed the anomaly through Mark Griffin’s stage 2 amendments, and I welcome the further commitment that the minister has been able to give.

I welcome amendment 1, which requires the Scottish Government to make progress reports available in BSL in the same way as national plans and listed authority plans will be made available in BSL as a result of the stage 2 amendments that the minister mentioned. I also support amendments 2 and 3 which, as the minister says, are of a minor nature.

Amendment 1 agreed to.

Section 5A—Forms of British Sign Language

Amendments 2 and 3 moved—[Dr Alasdair Allan]—and agreed to.

Section 8—Listed authorities

Group 3 is minor and technical amendments. Amendment 4, in the name of the minister, is grouped with amendments 5 and 6.

I confirm that these are very minor, tidying amendments that are a result of the scale of amendments that were passed by the committee at stage 2. Amendment 4 inserts into section 8 some words that are necessary to make the provision read properly. Amendments 5 and 6 bring the long title into line with what the bill provides for following amendments at stage 2 by referring to plans.

I move amendment 4.

I note these minor amendments, which are of a tidying-up nature and ensure consistency in references throughout the bill following stage 2 amendments. I am happy to support the amendments.

Amendment 4 agreed to.

Long Title

Amendments 5 and 6 moved—[Dr Alasdair Allan]—and agreed to.

That ends consideration of amendments.