British Sign Language (Scotland) Act 2015

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

(1) The Scottish Ministers are to promote, and facilitate the promotion of, the use and understanding of the language known as British Sign Language (see section 5).

(2) In furtherance of that duty, the Scottish Ministers are to prepare, lay before the Scottish Parliament and publish national plans in relation to British Sign Language in accordance with this section (such a plan being in this Act referred to as a “National Plan”).

(3) A National Plan is—

(a) to set out the strategy of the Scottish Ministers in relation to the promotion, and facilitation of promotion, mentioned in subsection (1), and

(b) to set out what the Scottish Ministers consider that relevant public authorities (see section 7) should or could do to promote, and facilitate the promotion of, the use and understanding of British Sign Language within their areas of responsibility.

(4) A National Plan may include such other material in relation to British Sign Language as the Scottish Ministers consider appropriate.

(5) The first National Plan is to be laid before the Scottish Parliament within the period of 2 years beginning with the date on which this Act comes into force.

(6) National Plans are then to be laid before the Scottish Parliament at intervals of no more than 6 years since the laying of the most recent such plan.

(7) As soon as reasonably practicable after laying a National Plan before the Scottish Parliament, the Scottish Ministers are to publish the plan.

(8) The requirement which this section imposes to publish a National Plan includes (but is not satisfied by) making the content of the plan publicly available, in such form and manner as the Scottish Ministers consider appropriate, in British Sign Language.

(9) In preparing a National Plan the Scottish Ministers are—

(a) to have regard to the most recently published report under section 4,

(b) to publish, and consult on, a draft of the plan, and

(c) to take into account any representations received by them by virtue of such consultation.

(10) Subsection (9)(a) does not apply in relation to a National Plan prepared before the publication of the first report under section 4.

(11) The persons consulted under subsection (9)(b) are to be those who, the Scottish Ministers consider, are likely to be directly affected by the National Plan or otherwise to have an interest in that plan and in particular are to include—

(a) persons who use British Sign Language, and

(b) persons who represent users of British Sign Language.

(12) In determining the form and manner of consultation for the purpose of subsection (9)(b), the Scottish Ministers are to have regard to the need to make that consultation accessible to persons who use British Sign Language and who are deaf, or deafblind.