Question reference: S4W-00629
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 8 June 2011
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Current status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 17 June 2011
Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for legal recognition of British Sign Language as an official language of Scotland.
Answer
Shona Robison MSP, the then Minister for Public Health and Sport, formally announced the Scottish Government’s recognition of British Sign Language as a language in Scotland on 5 March 2011. The Minister said:
“The Scottish Government recognises the importance of British Sign Language to the Deaf community in Scotland, and the contribution which this vibrant language makes to the rich and varied use of language in Scotland today. BSL is a vital means of communication for Deaf people, as well as part of their linguistic and cultural identity, and we see our funding to support the training of tutors of BSL and of BSL interpreters as an important contribution towards protecting the language.”
The Scottish Government recognise the importance of British Sign Language to the deaf community in Scotland. We work with partners on the British Sign Language and Linguistic Access Working Group, which has published the Roadmap to British Sign Language and Linguistic Access in Scotland. We have provided funding for British Sign Language work, and we continue to work to support British Sign Language in Scotland.