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					<dc:identifier>http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/section/3/enacted</dc:identifier><dc:title>British Sign Language (Wales) Act 2026</dc:title><dc:language>en</dc:language><dc:publisher>King's Printer of Acts of Parliament</dc:publisher><dc:modified>2026-05-12</dc:modified>
					
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									<ukm:Notes><ukm:Note IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/8/section/3/notes" DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/section/3/notes"/><ukm:Alternatives><ukm:Alternative URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/pdfs/ascen_20260008_mi.pdf" Date="2026-07-27" Title="Explanatory Note" TitleWelsh="Nodyn Esboniadol" Size="2040195" Language="Mixed"/><ukm:Alternative URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/pdfs/ascen_20260008_en.pdf" Date="2026-07-27" Title="Explanatory Note" Size="1752465"/><ukm:Alternative URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/pdfs/ascen_20260008_we.pdf" Date="2026-07-27" Title="Explanatory Note" TitleWelsh="Explanatory Note - Welsh" Size="1630120" Language="Welsh"/></ukm:Alternatives>       
								</ukm:Notes> 
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				</ukm:Metadata><Primary><Body DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/body/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/8/body" NumberOfProvisions="12" NumberFormat="default"><Pblock DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/crossheading/promoting-bsl/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/8/crossheading/promoting-bsl" NumberOfProvisions="3" id="crossheading-promoting-bsl"><Title>Promoting BSL</Title><P1group><Title>National BSL strategy</Title><P1 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/section/3/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/8/section/3" id="section-3">
<Pnumber PuncAfter="">3</Pnumber>
<P1para>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/section/3/1/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/8/section/3/1" id="section-3-1">
<Pnumber>1</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>In order to fulfil the duty under section 2, the Welsh Ministers must prepare and publish a national strategy (a “BSL strategy”).</Text>
</P2para>
</P2>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/section/3/2/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/8/section/3/2" id="section-3-2">
<Pnumber>2</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>The BSL strategy must—</Text>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/section/3/2/a/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/8/section/3/2/a" id="section-3-2-a">
<Pnumber>a</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>describe how the Welsh Ministers intend to—</Text>
<P4 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/section/3/2/a/i/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/8/section/3/2/a/i" id="section-3-2-a-i">
<Pnumber>i</Pnumber>
<P4para>
<Text>promote and facilitate the use of BSL in the exercise of their functions;</Text>
</P4para>
</P4>
<P4 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/section/3/2/a/ii/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/8/section/3/2/a/ii" id="section-3-2-a-ii">
<Pnumber>ii</Pnumber>
<P4para>
<Text>encourage listed public bodies to promote and facilitate the use of BSL in the exercise of their functions (including by giving guidance under section 4);</Text>
</P4para>
</P4>
</P3para>
</P3>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/section/3/2/b/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/8/section/3/2/b" id="section-3-2-b">
<Pnumber>b</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>include targets to increase or maintain—</Text>
<P4 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/section/3/2/b/i/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/8/section/3/2/b/i" id="section-3-2-b-i">
<Pnumber>i</Pnumber>
<P4para>
<Text>the number of BSL translators and interpreters available for the purpose of exercising the functions mentioned in paragraph (a), and</Text>
</P4para>
</P4>
<P4 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/section/3/2/b/ii/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/8/section/3/2/b/ii" id="section-3-2-b-ii">
<Pnumber>ii</Pnumber>
<P4para>
<Text>the number of persons available for the purpose of teaching and assessing those BSL translators and interpreters;</Text>
</P4para>
</P4>
</P3para>
</P3>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/section/3/2/c/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/8/section/3/2/c" id="section-3-2-c">
<Pnumber>c</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>set out what information about the use of BSL in Wales was obtained and considered for the purpose of preparing the strategy.</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
</P2para>
</P2>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/section/3/3/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/8/section/3/3" id="section-3-3">
<Pnumber>3</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>The Welsh Ministers must—</Text>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/section/3/3/a/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/8/section/3/3/a" id="section-3-3-a">
<Pnumber>a</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>publish the BSL strategy within 18 months beginning with the day after the date on which this Act is brought into force;</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/section/3/3/b/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/8/section/3/3/b" id="section-3-3-b">
<Pnumber>b</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>review the BSL strategy at least once in every period of 6 years beginning with the day after the strategy is first published and, if they revise it, publish the revised version.</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
</P2para>
</P2>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/section/3/4/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/8/section/3/4" id="section-3-4">
<Pnumber>4</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>The Welsh Ministers must—</Text>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/section/3/4/a/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/8/section/3/4/a" id="section-3-4-a">
<Pnumber>a</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>lay the BSL strategy, and any revised version of it, before Senedd Cymru, and</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/section/3/4/b/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/8/section/3/4/b" id="section-3-4-b">
<Pnumber>b</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>ensure that it is available in BSL.</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
</P2para>
</P2>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/section/3/5/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/8/section/3/5" id="section-3-5">
<Pnumber>5</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>In preparing the BSL strategy, and any revised version of it, the Welsh Ministers must involve—</Text>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/section/3/5/a/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/8/section/3/5/a" id="section-3-5-a">
<Pnumber>a</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>the BSL adviser (see section 6),</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/section/3/5/b/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/8/section/3/5/b" id="section-3-5-b">
<Pnumber>b</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>such representatives of BSL signers as the Welsh Ministers consider appropriate, and</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/section/3/5/c/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/8/section/3/5/c" id="section-3-5-c">
<Pnumber>c</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>any other persons the Welsh Ministers consider appropriate.</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
</P2para>
</P2>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/section/3/6/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/8/section/3/6" id="section-3-6">
<Pnumber>6</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>The requirement to involve the persons mentioned in subsection (5) includes—</Text>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/section/3/6/a/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/8/section/3/6/a" id="section-3-6-a">
<Pnumber>a</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>providing them with an opportunity to make representations about the content at the beginning of the process,</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/section/3/6/b/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/8/section/3/6/b" id="section-3-6-b">
<Pnumber>b</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>seeking their views at a formative stage of preparing a draft proposal, and</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/section/3/6/c/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/8/section/3/6/c" id="section-3-6-c">
<Pnumber>c</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>otherwise involving them throughout the process by—</Text>
<P4 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/section/3/6/c/i/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/8/section/3/6/c/i" id="section-3-6-c-i">
<Pnumber>i</Pnumber>
<P4para>
<Text>providing sufficient information to enable them to properly consider what is proposed, and</Text>
</P4para>
</P4>
<P4 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/8/section/3/6/c/ii/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/8/section/3/6/c/ii" id="section-3-6-c-ii">
<Pnumber>ii</Pnumber>
<P4para>
<Text>providing sufficient time to enable them to adequately consider what is proposed and respond.</Text>
</P4para>
</P4>
</P3para>
</P3>
</P2para>
</P2>
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