Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 11 December 2025
11 Dec 2025 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
British Sign Language (Scotland) Act 2015 Inquiry
No, it was a very welcome intervention. Many families talk about supporting their loved ones, about them becoming settled in their preschool and then needing to move, and about having to go through the transition again, so it is so important that we address that issue. There is much more to say, as others have mentioned.
I hope that the Government places an emphasis on this issue and that it is committed to tackling the barriers for young BSL users and their wider families. This is a really important piece of work, so I look forward to a cross-party response to the committee’s work, which Kate Forbes spoke about.
15:43In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-20059, in the name of Karen Adam, on behalf of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee, ...
Karen Adam (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP)
SNP
I welcome the opportunity to open the debate on behalf of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee on our recent report on the British Sign L...
Alasdair Allan (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP)
SNP
Looking back on the legislation as someone who was involved in it at the Government end, I think that Karen Adam touches on an important point, which is the ...
Karen Adam
SNP
I absolutely agree with Alasdair Allan. That has been part of the understanding that we have been trying to get across to people that BSL is not just a suppo...
The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic (Kate Forbes)
SNP
It is important to have this debate to reflect on the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee’s report, and to mark the 10-year anniversary of t...
Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Will the Deputy First Minister take an intervention?
Kate Forbes
SNP
I would love a challenge from Martin Whitfield.
Martin Whitfield
Lab
I have no challenge. Does the Deputy First Minister agree that part of the committee’s report suggests that the momentum behind BSL has been lost, particular...
Kate Forbes
SNP
I certainly think that the committee’s report and its scrutiny have given BSL added impetus. To be blunt, I do not think that we can ever have enough momentu...
Tess White (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
The Deputy First Minister has said that the quality of provision differs across Scotland, so can she explain why she does not support the establishment of a ...
Kate Forbes
SNP
I think that I mentioned in committee that we are certainly interested in exploring that further. For me, the key is not whether I think that it is a good id...
Pam Gosal (West Scotland) (Con)
Con
I am pleased to open the debate on behalf of the Scottish Conservatives and also to speak as a member of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Commi...
Carol Mochan (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I offer my thanks to the committee for all the important work that it carried out before publishing the report. On behalf of Scottish Labour, I welcome the r...
Martin Whitfield
Lab
Is it not at those transitional periods—when children from the BSL user community are going into school and nursery for the first time, going to high school ...
Carol Mochan
Lab
I thank Martin Whitfield for that intervention. I was going to make that point.
Martin Whitfield
Lab
Sorry.
Carol Mochan
Lab
No, it was a very welcome intervention. Many families talk about supporting their loved ones, about them becoming settled in their preschool and then needing...
Marie McNair (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP)
SNP
I speak in today’s debate as a member of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee. I thank the clerks for their assistance in the production ...
Miles Briggs (Lothian) (Con)
Con
I welcome this debate. For me, it is a debate about post-legislative scrutiny, which we have not seen much of in the Parliament. Therefore, I welcome the fac...
Martin Whitfield
Lab
Is it not becoming apparent over this parliamentary session, in particular, that there are real challenges in Scotland for our young people at transitional s...
Miles Briggs
Con
I absolutely agree. Some really good frameworks have been developed, especially for care-experienced young people in our colleges and universities. I do not ...
Emma Roddick (Highlands and Islands) (SNP)
SNP
I thank the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee for its work on the inquiry and the report. Some valuable points have been raised, and I loo...
Alexander Stewart (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
I am pleased to contribute to this afternoon’s debate. Ten years ago, the British Sign Language (Scotland) Act 2015 became an important step towards promoti...
Carol Mochan
Lab
Does the member agree that, although that obviously affects individual BSL users, parents and family members also find it stressful that their loved one does...
Alexander Stewart
Con
Yes, it has a knock-on effect within the family unit, and it is vitally important that individuals are given the opportunity. If that opportunity does not ex...
Paul McLennan (East Lothian) (SNP)
SNP
I am pleased to speak in the debate as a member of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee, and I thank the committee clerks and other membe...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
We move to the closing speeches. 16:13
Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
The opportunity to speak in this debate is special because we have an opportunity to acknowledge genuine progress and the delivery of support to, and recogni...
Karen Adam
SNP
Absolutely—it is incumbent on all of us to ensure that inclusion. Martin Whitfield has just mentioned the Parliament, and he spoke earlier about the interpre...
Martin Whitfield
Lab
I applaud Karen Adam on that point—or actually her father. People want access to their human rights, and this is their Parliament so they should be able to a...