Transparency data

BSL Advisory Board meeting summary: 13 September 2024 (including BSL version)

Updated 11 February 2025

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/british-sign-language-bsl-advisory-board-meeting-summaries/bsl-advisory-board-meeting-summary-13-september-2024-including-bsl-version

British Sign Language (BSL) version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8qKCr8UeVo

Attendees

  • Craig Crowley MBE FRSA, Co-chair of BSL Advisory Board
  • Alex Gowlland, Deputy Director of Disability Unit (DU), Cabinet Office, Co-chair
  • Vicki Ashmore
  • Jo Atkinson
  • Teri Devine
  • Gaye Hampton
  • Zoe Fudge-Ajadi
  • Asif Iqbal MBE
  • Richard Macqueen
  • Ahmed Mudawi
  • Richard Platt
  • Sylvia Simmonds
  • Sam Stocken
  • Martin Thacker 
  • Mangai Sutharsan
  • 4 officials from DU, one from the Office of Public Guardian and 2 from Channel 4 attended

Apologies

  • Brian Kokorwe
  • Scott Garthwaite
  • Kate Reed 
  • Erin McCluskey

Summary of discussion

1. Introduction

Craig welcomed the group and led brief introductions. An update was provided on the BSL report and the terms of reference for the advisory board.

2. Minister for Social Security and Disability visit

Minister Timms introduced himself to the BSL Advisory Board and learned about the subgroups’ priorities for the next year, specifically in health and social care, education and communications.

The minister set out the new administration’s priorities of ensuring the government delivers the manifesto commitment that the views and the voices of Deaf and disabled people are at the heart of everything the government sets out to do.

The board then had a question and answer session with the minister.

3. PIP (Personal Independence Payments) consultation

The board discussed their recent submission to the the Department for Work and Pensions’ PIP consultation, where they recommended that PIP be continued for Deaf and Deafblind people due to the additional costs that they incur. 

The advisory board disagreed with the option of a voucher scheme and highlighted a strong preference for a scheme similar to Access to Work.

4. Year planning and the new government

The board had a discussion about how to approach the next 2 years and how to work with a new government following the 2024 General Election.

The board agreed that they wanted to continue focussing on early years education and health and social care and add a focus on employment.

5. Channel 4: ‘Super Signers’

The board met with 2 representatives from Channel 4 who are working on developing more accessible technology for Deaf people to access interpreters on screen. Board members raised questions about the inclusion of Deafblind people in the accessibility of the technology.

6. Office of Public Guardian

A representative from the Office of the Public Guardian came to talk to the board about accessibility around the legal guardianship process.

The board raised concerns around Deaf people being taken advantage of, access to information in BSL, and the need to reach out to Deaf organisations to raise awareness of this process.

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