British Sign Language (Wales) Act 2026

5 BSL plans E+W

(1) A listed public body must prepare and publish a BSL plan that—

(a) describes how it intends to promote and facilitate the use of BSL in the exercise of its functions;

(b) describes how it intends to follow guidance issued under section 4, or explains why it does not intend to do so;

(c) contains such other information as the Welsh Ministers may prescribe by regulations.

(2) The listed public body must publish its plan within 12 months beginning with the day after the BSL strategy is published in accordance with section 3(3)(a).

(3) The listed public body must review its plan—

(a) if directed to do so by the Welsh Ministers;

(b) after any revised version of the BSL strategy is published.

(4) A direction under subsection (3)(a) must state the reasons for giving the direction.

(5) If the listed public body decides to revise its plan following a review, it must publish the revised version of the plan as soon as is reasonably practicable.

(6) In preparing its plan or any revised version of it, the listed public body must involve—

(a) such representatives of BSL signers as it considers appropriate, and

(b) any other persons it considers appropriate.

(7) The requirement to involve the persons mentioned in subsection (6) includes—

(a) providing them with an opportunity to make representations about the content at the beginning of the process,

(b) seeking their views at a formative stage of preparing a draft proposal, and

(c) otherwise involving them throughout the process by—

(i) providing sufficient information to enable them to properly consider what is proposed, and

(ii) providing sufficient time to enable them to adequately consider what is proposed and respond.

(8) The listed public body must send any plan published under this section to the Welsh Ministers and ensure that it is available in BSL.

Commencement Information

I1 S. 5 in force at 28.4.2026, see s. 11