MP supports promotion of British Sign Language awareness

3.00.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 10th May 2006

Malcolm Bruce addressing the Commons

Gordon MP, Malcolm Bruce has urged the Government to do more to promote training and greater use of sign language in Scotland.

Following on from a Parliamentary motion Mr Bruce lodged to promote Deaf Awareness Week, which called for greater awareness of the varied types of communication for the deaf such as sign language and lip-reading, Mr Bruce asked the Scottish Minister, David Cairns:

"Finland, whose population is comparable to Scotland's, has more than 600 sign language interpreters, whereas Scotland has fewer than 30. What will the Minister do to promote training in and greater use of sign language, so that those for whom it is the primary language—a minority British language—will be able to use it much more frequently?"

The minister declined to give a direct answer but instead referred to the Government's Commission for Equality and Human Rights which will oversee the promotion of disability rights.

Speaking after the debate, Mr Bruce said:

"I am disappointed that the Minister has not a greater understanding of how important this issue is to the deaf community throughout Scotland. Having spoken to many local and national organisations, there is real frustration that although recognised officially as a minority language by the Department of Work & Pensions, British Sign Language is yet to receive the comparable support of other minority languages in the United Kingdom, this is despite BSL users outnumbering those who speak Welsh or Gaelic combined.

"I now intend to write to the new Commission for Equality and Human Rights to highlight what needs to be done to take up the issue in order to increase the support available to deaf people throughout the UK."

ENDS