The Cabinet Office has opened applications to co-chair or become a member of the British Sign Language (BSL) Advisory Board, ahead of current members\u2019 terms concluding on 31 December this year.<\/p>\n
The non-statutory board was formed following the passage of the British Sign Language (BSL) Act in 2022, which legally recognised BSL as a language in Great Britain, and placed a duty on the government to report on its work to \u2018promote and facilitate\u2019 its use across departments.<\/p>\n
The Office for Equality and Opportunity, which sits within the Cabinet Office, said the Board \u201caims to make sure the views and voices of Deaf people across the UK are at the heart of the work of the UK government\u201d.<\/p>\n
In a statement issued on Thursday, when applications opened, disability minister Sir Stephen Timms MP said the government is \u201ccommitted to championing the rights of BSL users and Deaf people\u201d.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cThe BSL Advisory Board plays an integral role in advising the government on the day to day issues that Deaf people face and we will work closely with them so that their views and voices are at the heart of everything we do.<\/p>\n
\u201cI look forward to continuing to work with the Board to deliver on our shared goals of breaking down barriers to opportunity for BSL users.\u201d<\/p>\n
The government is currently looking for 15 members to serve new three-year terms, as well as an individual to co-chair meetings alongside a civil servant, replacing outgoing member Craig Crowley, the CEO of Action Deafness.<\/p>\n
A Cabinet Office spokesperson confirmed to Liam O\u2019Dell on Thursday that Abigail Gorman and Catherine Drew, who were appointed in May,<\/a> will continue into the next three years of the Board\u2019s lifespan.<\/p>\n Gorman and Drew joined the Board following the removal of two unnamed members earlier this year.<\/p>\n When approached for comment on which two individuals had been removed and why, the OEO did not provide a statement.<\/p>\n