UK Council on Deafness

May 2007 Parliamentary Report

In this Report

• House of Commons Hansard - 17 May
• Language Service Professionals - 16 May

House of Commons Hansard Debates
17 May 2007

Mrs. Madeleine Moon (Bridgend) (Lab): May we have a debate on the increased teaching and use of British Sign Language? Last week I visited Archdeacon John Lewis primary school in my constituency and was pleased to see children as young as three and up to the age of 11 not only singing in English and Welsh, but using British Sign Language, along with all their teachers. As there are two profoundly deaf children in the school, all at the school have taken responsibility for learning British Sign Language. Is that not a subject that we should be rolling out throughout our schools?

Mr. Straw: As someone who takes a close interest in matters related to the deaf, I applaud my hon. Friend's interest and will certainly look for an opportunity for a debate, possibly on the Adjournment or in Westminster Hall.

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House of Commons Hansard Debates
16 May 2007
Language Service Professionals

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) if he will take steps to protect the professional title of language service professionals for deaf people, including (a) BSL/English interpreters, (b) lipspeakers, (c) deaf-blind interpreters and (d) speech to text reporters; [115951]

(2) if he will take steps to create a register of all language service professionals for deaf people, including (a) BSL/English interpreters, (b) lipspeakers, (c) deaf-blind interpreters and (d) speech to text reporters for public bodies; [115952]

(3) when he will answer Questions (a) (i) 115951 and (ii) 115952 tabled on 11 January, and (b) 126821, tabled on 7 March, by the hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham. [128420]

Bill Rammell: The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) have responsibility for funding providers of post-16 further education and training. This funding includes Additional Learning Support (ALS) which is used by providers to fund the additional learning needs of learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, including those learners with hearing impairments. Providers determine how their ALS funding is used to ensure that it meets the needs of their learners.

The Department is not responsible for protecting the professional titles, or providing a register of language service professionals, as it is for providers to determine how best to meet the needs of their learners, and therefore which professionals to use to deliver this support.

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