British Sign Language Act 2022

{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = British Sign Language Act 2022

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom

| long_title = An Act to recognise British Sign Language as a language of England, Wales and Scotland; to require the Secretary of State to report on the promotion and facilitation of the use of British Sign Language by ministerial government departments; and to require guidance to be issued in relation to British Sign Language.

| year = 2021

| citation = 2022 c. 34

| introduced_commons = Rosie Cooper

| introduced_lords = Lord Holmes of Richmond

| territorial_extent = {{ubli|England and Wales|Scotland}}

| royal_assent = 28 April 2022

| commencement = 28 June 2022

| expiry_date =

| repeal_date =

| amends =

| replaces =

| amendments =

| repealing_legislation =

| related_legislation =

| status = not_fully_in_force

| legislation_history = https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/2915

| theyworkforyou =

| millbankhansard =

| original_text = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2022/34/enacted

| revised_text =

| use_new_UK-LEG = yes

| UK-LEG_title =

| collapsed =

}}

The British Sign Language Act 2022 (c. 34) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which legally recognises British Sign Language (BSL) as a language of England, Scotland and Wales. It also requires the Secretary of State to publish reports each reporting period on how BSL is promoted or facilitated by certain government department. The first of these reports was published on 31 July 2023.{{Cite web |date=2023-07-31 |title=The British Sign Language (BSL) report 2022 |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-british-sign-language-bsl-report-2022/the-british-sign-language-bsl-report-2022 |access-date=2023-08-14 |website=gov.uk |language=en}}

Passage

The British Sign Language Bill was introduced to the House of Commons as a private members' bill on 16 June 2021 by Rosie Cooper.{{Sfn|Pyper|Loft|2022|p=4}} The bill gained cross-party and government support before passing its second and third reading in the House of Commons and Lords without any difficulties.{{sfn|Pyper|Loft|2022}}{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=27 April 2022 |title=British Sign Language Bill set to clear final stage before becoming law |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/british-sign-language-bill-set-to-clear-final-stage-before-becoming-law |access-date=2022-05-14 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}}{{Cite journal |title=British Sign Language Bill passed by parliament on 'historic day' for Deaf community |url=https://www.solicitorsjournal.com/sjarticle/british-sign-language-bill-passed-by-parliament-on-historic-day-for-deaf-community |access-date=2022-05-14 |journal=Solicitors Journal |language=en}} It received royal assent on 28 April 2022.{{Cite web |last=James |first=Henry |date=April 2022 |title=British Sign Language legally recognised after MP's campaign success |url=https://www.champnews.com/story.asp?id=GN4_ART_1962625 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220502074246/https://champnews.com/story.asp?id=GN4_ART_1962625 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=2 May 2022 |access-date=14 May 2022 |website=www.champnews.com}}

Legal effect

The act legally recognises British Sign Language as a language of England, Scotland and Wales, a similar status to Welsh and Scottish Gaelic.{{Cite web |date=6 May 2022 |title='We're finally recognised' - British Sign Language gets official status |url=https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2022-05-06/were-finally-recognised-british-sign-language-gets-official-status |access-date=14 May 2022 |website=ITV News |language=en}} It requires the government to publish reports on how the language is used in its public communications and issue guidance on promoting its usage. It is somewhat modelled in motives on the British Sign Language (Scotland) Act 2015 which places similar requirements on ministers in the Scottish Government.{{sfn|Pyper|Loft|2022}}

References

= Citations =

= Bibliography =

{{OPL-attribution}}{{Cite web |last=Pyper |first=Douglas |last2=Loft |first2=Philip |date=1 April 2022 |title=British Sign Language Bill |url=https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9446/ |website=House of Commons Library}}

Category:Disability legislation

Category:United Kingdom Acts of Parliament 2022

Category:British Sign Language

Category:Language legislation in the United Kingdom

Category:Language policy in the United Kingdom

Category:Constitutional laws of the United Kingdom

Category:Disability law in the United Kingdom

Category:Legal recognition of sign languages